Trump readies 'massive attack' on Iran as US military plans devastating strikes 'bigger than ever before'

By CHASE HOPE, POLITICAL REPORTER FOR THE DAILY MAIL Published: 17:44, 23 July 2026 | Updated: 17:55, 23 July 2026 Donald Trump said Thursday he was near to a decision on a massive escalation of attacks on Iran as oil hits its highest price in two months and Tehran-backed Houthi rebels open a new front in the Red Sea. 'I am considering a massive attack. Bigger than ever before. I am close to making a decision. We are all set for it,' the President told Axios. Trump added that Iran wanted a deal but had not yet felt 'enough pain' to properly negotiate.  Oil prices surged past $100 per barrel for the first time since May 26 as the tenuous ceasefire between the US and Iran has collapsed. The US has carried out strikes on Iran for 12 consecutive nights. Houthi rebels in Yemen claimed two attacks on Saudi tankers in the Red Sea Wednesday night, threatening another disruption to the global energy supply chain. Analysts warn these attacks could cut off Saudi Arabia's alternative export route through the Red Sea. Republicans defending slim majorities in Congress fear that rising fuel prices, combined with an open-ended war, could hand Democrats potent lines of attack in the midterm elections. A June 30 photo of US forces in the Arabian Sea