Trump says he is weighing escalation of U.S. war on Iran

President Donald Trump told Fox News on Sept. 20 that he is "deciding" whether to increase the United States' war effort against Iran and asked, "if and when do I blow the entire nation up? They better behave," indicating that "very big things" could occur in the conflict. He added that he is "open" to meeting Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian at the United Nations General Assembly in New York this week.

Trump has previously suggested the possibility of major military escalations since the war began with U.S. and Israeli strikes on Feb. 28, though no such actions have been taken. The remarks echo an April statement in which he warned that a "whole civilization will die tonight."

Iran's military central command warned that any new attack would trigger sustained retaliation against U.S. bases and interests, and that regional allies would be considered parties to the conflict. Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf said Iran must continue fighting and negotiating to push back enemies and consolidate gains through diplomacy.

The exchange of threats follows recent attacks by Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi group, which launched missile and drone strikes on Riyadh on Sept. 19, producing a large plume of smoke over the city’s main airport. The Houthi advance along the Red Sea coast places them near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, potentially affecting shipping between the Red Sea and Asia.

The broader conflict has disrupted oil exports from the Gulf, contributing to record diesel prices of over $6.50 per gallon and gasoline prices above $4.47 per gallon in the United States. The U.S. military has reported costs of at least $43.6 billion as of Sept. 3, including $28.1 billion for munitions replacement, with additional expenses for repairing damaged bases not yet accounted for. The war has resulted in at least 18 American deaths and more than 800 injuries.