Trump signals a new attack while keeping his options open; the aircraft carrier George Washington is being resupplied with missiles and bunker-busting bombs, while Tehran warns that further strikes will not change its position.

October 25, 2026

Prepared and Analyzed by | Strategic Media Department – BETH News Agency

The US-Iran war entered its 234th day amid growing American military preparations for possible new strikes and an exchange of statements revealing widening disagreements over Iran's nuclear program, the Strait of Hormuz, and the conditions for ending the confrontation.

President Donald Trump raised the possibility of repeating Operation Epic Fury against Iran, keeping the military option open despite the White House's confirmation that strikes would not resume before the November 3 congressional elections.

George Washington Prepares

The commander of the US aircraft carrier USS George Washington, deployed in the Arabian Sea, confirmed his forces' readiness to respond or conduct preemptive operations, while the carrier is undergoing extensive resupply operations involving ammunition, fuel, and provisions.

The supplies include long-range missiles designed to strike land targets and bunker-busting bombs, as part of preparations that would enable a broader air campaign if the White House issues the order.

The carrier is currently operating as part of missions enforcing the naval blockade of Iranian ports and protecting vessels in the Strait of Hormuz. Washington has not announced a final decision to launch a new attack.

The Target List

Military assessments place the fortified Pickaxe Mountain facility near Natanz among the leading potential nuclear targets, alongside continued attention to the Fordow and Isfahan facilities and sites associated with ballistic missile production and storage.

Satellite imagery analyses have revealed fortification work and changes to the entrances of the Pickaxe Mountain complex, although the available information does not conclusively establish the nature of its current nuclear activities.

According to scenarios under discussion, the list of potential targets could expand to include military facilities, communications infrastructure, and energy installations, without confirmation that a final operational target list has been approved.

Tehran Defies

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Sunday that any new US-Israeli attack would not achieve results different from those of previous strikes, stressing that his country's positions would not change whether the war resumes or not.

He added that the Strait of Hormuz would not return to its previous conditions, calling for regional security arrangements to be rebuilt without a foreign military presence.

Calculations of a Decisive Outcome

The military reinforcements give Trump greater flexibility in choosing the timing and scale of a strike, but they do not necessarily mean that a decision to carry it out has been made.

Meanwhile, Tehran is betting that the continuing blockade, confrontation, and energy costs may push Washington toward a settlement, while maintaining its nuclear and regional positions.

This defines the central test of Day 234: Will American military readiness succeed in forcing Iranian concessions, or will it shift from a negotiating instrument into a new military campaign that could extend beyond nuclear facilities to Iran's military and economic infrastructure?