'Calm Before The Storm': Trump's Post Fuels Reports Of Fresh Iran Attack Plans

Last Updated:May 17, 2026, 11:08 IST

Donald Trump sparked fresh speculation over a possible escalation with Iran after posting “It Was The Calm Before The Storm” on X alongside an AI-generated military-themed image.

US President Donald Trump on Sunday posted a cryptic message on Truth Social, declaring, “It Was The Calm Before The Storm," alongside an AI-generated image that appeared to signal rising tensions around Iran and the Strait of Hormuz crisis.

The image, shared from Trump’s social media account, showed him wearing a “Make America Great Again" cap aboard a US Navy vessel alongside a naval officer, with stormy seas, lightning and Iranian ships visible in the background.

The post came amid reports that Trump’s administration is actively weighing a return to military action against Iran after a temporary pause in hostilities.

According to a report by The New York Times, Trump returned from Beijing facing “major decisions on Iran," with senior aides drafting plans for renewed military strikes if diplomatic efforts fail.

The report said US officials and allied countries were attempting to negotiate a compromise that could lead Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a strategically crucial global shipping route, while allowing Trump to present the outcome as a diplomatic victory.

However, Trump appeared to dismiss Iran’s latest proposal while speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One after leaving China.

“I looked at it, and if I don’t like the first sentence, I just throw it away," he said, according to the New York Times report.

The report further stated that the Pentagon has prepared contingency plans for a possible resumption of “Operation Epic Fury," which had been paused after Trump announced a ceasefire last month.

US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth was quoted as saying the US had “a plan to escalate if necessary," even as officials also discussed scenarios involving troop withdrawals from the Middle East.

REPORT DETAILS POSSIBLE US OPTIONS AGAINST IRAN

The report said possible options being considered by the Trump administration include expanded bombing operations targeting Iranian military and infrastructure sites.

Another option reportedly under consideration involves deploying Special Operations forces to target deeply buried nuclear material at Iran’s Isfahan nuclear facility.

The report said several hundred Special Operations troops had already been moved into the Middle East earlier this year to preserve that military option.

Officials cited in the report also acknowledged the operation would carry “big risks of casualties."

Iranian officials, meanwhile, have publicly warned that Tehran is prepared for renewed conflict.

“Our armed forces are ready to deliver a well-deserved response to any aggression," Iran’s Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf posted on social media, according to the report.

THE STRAIT OF HORMUZ STANDOFF

A separate report with Reuters said Trump’s patience with Iran was “running out" and that he claimed Chinese President Xi Jinping agreed Tehran must reopen the Strait of Hormuz, though Beijing itself did not publicly confirm such a commitment.

Reuters reported that Trump, while returning from Beijing, also said he was considering whether to lift US sanctions on Chinese companies purchasing Iranian oil.

“I’m not asking for any favours because, when you ask for favours, you have to do favours in return," Trump told reporters aboard his aircraft when asked whether Xi had agreed to pressure Iran.

China’s foreign ministry, however, said the conflict “should never have happened" and “has no reason to continue."

Reuters further reported that Iran had effectively shut the Strait of Hormuz to most shipping following US-Israeli attacks that began earlier this year, causing major disruptions to global energy supplies.

Trump reiterated his demands during meetings in Beijing, saying, “We don’t want them to have a nuclear weapon, we want the straits open."

DIPLOMATIC EFFORTS CONTINUE AMID THREATS OF ESCALATION

Reuters reported that Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said Tehran had received signals suggesting Washington remained open to negotiations.

“We hope that, with the advancement of negotiations, we will reach a good conclusion," Araqchi said in New Delhi, according to Reuters.

Still, Trump maintained pressure on Iran, saying in an interview aired on Fox News that he would not remain patient for much longer.

“I am not going to be much more patient. They should make a deal," Trump said, Reuters reported.

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