Trump weighs new strikes on Iran as Israel locks down West Bank after Hebron clash

Donald Trump has warned that the United States could launch fresh military strikes against Iran, questioning whether to bring the conflict to an abrupt finish or allow it to wind down gradually.

The US president said American forces had already dealt severe blows to Iranian targets and maintained that Tehran would never be permitted to secure a nuclear weapon. Speaking as regional tensions mounted on several fronts, he suggested further action remained on the table.

"We could end it very quickly," Trump said. "Do we want to finish it or let it wither is the question."

Trump targets Tehran over oil and nuclear ambitions

Trump accused the Iranian government of engineering maritime incidents in the Persian Gulf to drive up international crude oil prices in the run-up to the United States midterm elections. Writing on social media, he rejected suggestions that commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz had collapsed.

"Iran is doing everything they can to drive up the price of oil prior to the US midterm election," Trump said. He claimed Tehran was manufacturing accounts of mine strikes and hostile incidents, adding that tanker traffic through the strategic waterway remained higher than before hostilities began.

While Trump pointed to a potentially rapid conclusion, American envoys have acknowledged that Washington is equally prepared for an extended confrontation that could stretch on for another year, particularly as volatile energy markets respond to sustained friction across West Asia.

West Bank sealed off after Hebron gun battle

The warning from Washington came as Israel ordered an immediate security lockdown across the occupied West Bank following intense fighting in the southern city of Hebron.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that the military would impose a full closure on the territory and prepare for a "large-scale operation". The measures followed a gun battle in which Israeli troops killed two Palestinian gunmen.

The Israeli military confirmed that two of its soldiers were killed and three others wounded during the exchange of fire.

Regional risks and market pressure

The dual developments in the Gulf and the Palestinian territories have raised concerns over a wider regional escalation. For major energy-importing economies, including India and European nations, any prolonged standoff in the Gulf threatens to disrupt sea lanes and increase domestic fuel import bills.

Although Washington insists Gulf shipping continues, persistent threats of strikes against Iranian infrastructure and retaliation across regional waterways leave international trade routes under persistent strain.