President Donald Trump prepares to board Air Force One bound for Florida at Pope Army Airfield, Fort Bragg, North Carolina, February 13, 2026.
Elizabeth Franz | Reuters
President Donald Trump said Friday that he is considering a limited military strike to pressure Iran over its nuclear program.
“I would say we’re considering it,” Trump said in response to a question from reporters at a White House breakfast with state governors.
President Trump said Thursday that he would decide within the next 10 to 15 days whether to attack the Islamic Republic. He left open the possibility of reaching an agreement with Iran over its nuclear program.
President Trump previously said an attack on Iran would be “much worse” than the limited attack the United States carried out against its nuclear facilities in June.
Oil prices stabilized Friday after rising more than 5% this week as traders priced in the risk of impending U.S. military action. usa crude oil It fell 4 cents to close at $66.39 per barrel. global benchmark brent It rose 10 cents to settle at $71.76 per barrel.
A large-scale military buildup of the US military is underway in the Middle East. The aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln is in the area. A second aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald Ford, is underway.
The oil market’s biggest concern is that the conflict between the United States and Iran could disrupt oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz for an extended period of time.
The strait is an important barrier for global oil trade. On average, more than 14 million barrels of oil and condensate per day will pass through the narrow waterway in 2025, accounting for a third of total global seaborne oil exports, according to data from consulting firm Kpler.
About three-quarters of the oil that passes through the strait goes to China, India, Japan and South Korea, Kpler said.
