The officials are concerned that the Iranian regime is not yet weak enough to be effectively ended through US strikes.
US President Donald Trump speaks at the Detroit Economic Club in Detroit, Michigan, US, January 13, 2026.(photo credit: REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein/File Photo)ByDANYA SAPERSTEINUpdated: President Trump has said he would not want to bring the US into a war in Iran that could last weeks or months, NBC reported early Thursday morning, citing two people familiar with the discussions and a person close to the White House.
Trump wants any US strike to be a “definitive” blow, according to one of the people familiar with the discussions.
However, his advisers were unable to guarantee a total collapse of the regime after a US military strike, and there is concern that the US may not have all the assets it would need to defend against Iranian retaliation in the region.
Iranians gather while blocking a street during a protest in Tehran, Iran on January 9, 2026. The nationwide protests started in Tehran’s Grand Bazaar against the failing economic policies in late December, which spread to universities and other cities (credit: MAHSA/Middle East Images/AFP via Getty Images)
Preparation may be underway
Trump has had multiple military options prepared and presented to him in recent days, with senior administration officials meeting to discuss military goals for potential strikes and the cost of Iranian retaliation, specifically on US forces and allies such as Israel in the region.
On Wednesday, hundreds of US troops were moved from Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, one of the locations thought to be under threat, should Iran decide to attack US forces.
In a press conference on Wednesday, Trump told reporters that he had been told that the killings in Iran had stopped. When asked whether that meant military action is off the table, Trump responded, “We’re going to watch and see what the process is.”
“All the signals are that a US attack is imminent, but that is also how this administration behaves to keep everyone on their toes,” a Western military official said.
Iranian missiles are displayed at the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps(IRGC) Aerospace Force Museum in Tehran, Iran, November 12, 2025(photo credit: MAJID ASGARIPOUR/WANA (WEST ASIA NEWS AGENCY) VIA REUTERS)ByDANYA SAPERSTEIN, JERUSALEM POST STAFF, REUTERSUpdated: Iran temporarily closed its airspace early on Thursday morning, issuing a NOTAM (Notice to Airmen) to all flights except international ones to and from Iran with official permission, as Western military officials say US military action in the country is “imminent.”
Flight tracker websites showed the airspace over Iran and Iraq emptying rapidly prior to the NOTAM’s issuing. The prohibition was scheduled to last a little over two hours and end at around 2:30 a.m. Israel time, but was later extended to 5:00 a.m. Israel time.
India’s largest airline, IndiGo, said some of its international flights were impacted by Iran’s sudden airspace closure. A flight by Russia’s Aeroflot bound for Tehran returned to Moscow after the closure, according to tracking data from Flightradar24.
Shortly before the NOTAM was issued, US President Donald Trump held a press conference in the Oval Office, in which he said he was told that the killings in Iran were “stopping.”
When asked if the US was still considering military action, Trump answered, “We’re going to watch and see what the process is.”
A screengrab from Flightradar24.com shows airspace over Iran and Iraq emptying of aircraft, January 15, 2025 (credit: SCREENSHOT/FLIGHTRADAR24.COM)
Earlier on Wednesday, a senior Iranian official told Reuters that Iran warned regional countries that it would strike US military bases in those countries in case of a US attack.
“The United States and Israeli regime bear direct and undeniable legal responsibility for the resulting loss of innocent civilian lives, particularly among the youth,” said the Iranian Ambassador.
L to R: Iran Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, US President Donald Trump against backdrop of respective flags and missile strikes.(photo credit: ILLUSTRATION, REUTERS/Majid Asgaripour/WANA 2, Shutterstock/noamgalai, Getty Images/Iranian Leader’s Press Office – Handout)ByREUTERS, JERUSALEM POST STAFF Updated: Iran accused US President Donald Trump on Tuesday of encouraging political destabilization, inciting violence, and threatening the country’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, and national security, Iran’s UN Ambassador Amir Saeid Iravani wrote to the UN Security Council.
“The United States and the Israeli regime bear direct and undeniable legal responsibility for the resulting loss of innocent civilian lives, particularly among the youth,” he wrote in the letter, which was also sent to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.
He wrote the letter in response to a social media post by Trump earlier on Tuesday.
“One death is too much,” the US president added.
US President Donald Trump speaks with members of the media aboard Air Force One en route from Florida to Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, US, January 11, 2026. (credit: REUTERS/Nathan Howard)
“I have cancelled all meetings with Iranian Officials until the senseless killing of protesters stops. Help is on its way. MIGA!” he assured.
t officials on Iran response decision
Trump’s comments come as he is expected to convene senior administration officials on Tuesday to discuss possible courses of action regarding Iran. The meeting will be “significant,” several US officials told The Jerusalem Post.
According to a Monday report by The Wall Street Journal, US Vice President JD Vance is among the senior officials pushing Trump towards a new round of negotiations with Iran as a final option before striking the regime.
