Trump Says US Could Strike Iran 'Tomorrow' As Tehran Warns Of Heavy Retaliation

US President Donald Trump has warned that the United States could launch fresh strikes against Iran as early as Sunday, October 25, while keeping open the possibility of a “big, beautiful agreement” with Tehran. The warning comes amid threats of Iranian retaliation, intelligence concerns over alleged assassination plots targeting American officials and growing fears of another military confrontation.

Speaking to reporters in Florida on Saturday after casting his ballot in the US midterm elections, Trump refused to confirm whether he had made a final decision on further attacks. “Do you really think I’m going to tell you if I’m going to do it? Maybe tomorrow,” he said, adding that a diplomatic agreement remained possible. He questioned whether Tehran would honour any deal, saying, “They want to make a deal, but the problem is, will they hold the deal?”

Trump said his objective was to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon, arguing that previous US strikes involving B-2 bombers had not guaranteed a permanent outcome. He also claimed that American forces had inflicted heavy losses on Iran's military and that oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz had increased compared with pre-war levels, without providing figures.

At a Florida rally on Friday, Trump threatened “another little Epic Fury”, referring to the US military campaign against Iran. The United States and Israel launched strikes against Iran on February 28, killing then-Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, according to reports.

Meanwhile, The New York Times, citing two Iranian officials, reported that Tehran was preparing possible assassination plots targeting US diplomats and officials. The officials reportedly described Americans as “fair game” following the deaths of Iranian officials and their relatives in US and Israeli attacks. The allegations have not been independently verified.

A separate US intelligence warning has heightened concerns in Washington. An October 23 memo from Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton to Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned of a substantial increase in Iran's efforts to target American personnel abroad, with alleged plots reaching “advanced stages” in the Middle East and elsewhere. The memo did not identify specific targets or locations. A US official also told the newspaper that Tehran might have operatives inside the United States.

Washington has reduced diplomatic staffing at missions in the United Arab Emirates, Lebanon, Qatar and Jordan, following orders for nonessential personnel and family members to leave US diplomatic facilities in Saudi Arabia. Officials have cited alleged Iranian plots and potential attacks by Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen.

Meanwhile, Iran has denied reports that it submitted a fresh proposal through Pakistani mediators to reopen the Strait of Hormuz in exchange for the lifting of the US naval blockade. With Trump keeping military action on the table and Tehran warning of a heavy response, the prospects for diplomacy remain uncertain as regional security concerns intensify.