US President Donald Trump is considering launching a limited strike on Iran in the immediate future to pressure Tehran to agree to his nuclear demands, The New York Times reports. If the Islamic Republic continues to hold out, this could be followed by a far larger campaign later this year targeting regime change, it says.
The report comes as the sides are expected to meet again in Geneva on Thursday, and as the US continues to amass forces in the Middle East for a possible strike.
The newspaper cites sources familiar with Trump administration discussions. It says the initial strike could target command centers of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, ballistic missile sites, or nuclear infrastructure.
And it says that if these strikes do not yield results, a much larger offensive could come later this year with the goal of ending the rule of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
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From the Liveblog of
Monday, February 23, 2026
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