President Donald Trump is weighing a major new strike on Iran after preliminary discussions between Washington and Tehran over limiting the country’s nuclear program and ballistic missile production failed to make progress, according to people familiar with the matter. It’s not clear why Trump has since shifted his focus back to Iran’s nuclear program, which he said last summer had been “obliterated” by US strikes. “It’s time to look for new leadership in Iran,” Trump told Politico on Saturday, appearing to double down on his past comments backing regime change in Iran. But two US officials said Trump is aware that a military strike against Iran would be far more difficult than a precise covert operation into Venezuela. After June’s conflict between Israel and Iran, Israel’s defense minister acknowledged the country did not have the opportunity to strike the Ayatollah.

Source: CNN January 29, 2026 00:49 UTC