U.S. President Donald Trump looks on before boarding Air Force One en route to Florida, at Pope Army Airfield on Fort Bragg, North Carolina, U.S., Feb. 13, 2026.
Elizabeth Frantz | Reuters
President Donald Trump said Friday that he is considering limited military strikes to pressure Iran over its nuclear program.
“I guess I can say I am considering that,” Trump said when asked by a reporter at a White House breakfast with U.S. governors.
Trump said Thursday that he would make a decision in the next 10 to 15 days on whether to attack the Islamic Republic. He has left open the possibility that a deal could still be reached with Tehran over its nuclear program.
Trump has previously said an attack on Iran would be “far worse” than the limited strikes launched by the U.S. last June against its nuclear facilities.
Oil prices were stable Friday after rallying more than 5% this week as traders price in some risk of imminent U.S. military action. U.S. crude oil fell 28 cents to $66.15 per barrel by 10:39 a.m. ET. Global benchmark Brent was down 23 cents at $71.43 per barrel.
A massive U.S. military buildup is underway in the Middle East. The USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier is stationed in the the region. A second aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald Ford, is en route.
The oil market’s biggest fear is that a conflict between the U.S. and Iran could lead to a prolonged disruption of oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz.
The strait is a vital chokepoint for the global oil trade. More than 14 million barrels per day of oil and condensates passed through the narrow waterway on average in 2025, according to data from consulting firm Kpler, which says that accounts for a third of total worldwide seaborne oil exports.
About three-quarters of the oil that passes through the strait goes to China, India, Japan and South Korea, according to Kpler.
