On November 12, 2026, US President Donald Trump stated he is fully prepared to deploy military force against Iran instantly if US allies or vessels face threats.
In an interview with Salem News Channel reported by Anadolu Agency, Trump asserted there is no hesitation in handling current regional dynamics.
“However the answer is, if I see the situation turning in a direction we don’t want, I will do it, and maybe I’ll do it right now,” Trump said on Thursday, November 12, 2026. He claimed the US has not lost a single soldier in five months and maintains complete control of the Gulf waters.
According to Kompas.com, Trump declared on November 9, 2026, that the US-Israeli military campaign against Iran has effectively ended militarily, though Washington maintains a strict maritime blockade and stands ready to resume strikes if conditions change. The statement was delivered during a White House press conference following a closed-door meeting with US Vice President JD Vance and Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani.
On November 13, 2026, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps announced a strike on a US military early-warning radar stationed in Bahrain, according to Press TV and Reuters. The IRGC framed the attack as retaliation for an aerial strike on an Iranian telecommunications tower in Sirik.
/data/photo/2026/04/17/69e201c2c76de.jpg "Photo: Kompas.com")
Neither US nor Bahraini authorities issued an immediate response to the IRGC claim. The incident marks the first claimed strike on American military assets in the Gulf region since early September.
Simultaneously, CNN Indonesia reported that Trump dismissed the need for a formal agreement with Tehran. Writing on social media on November 12, 2026, Trump said that the US holds billions in frozen Iranian assets and controls the Strait of Hormuz, rendering negotiations unnecessary.
“Kita tidak membutuhkan kesepakatan dengan Iran,” Trump wrote.
Antara News Jatim reported that Qatar acknowledged positive responses from both Washington and Tehran, though Qatari officials noted the region remains stuck in a “no war, no peace” uncertainty.
“Kedua pihak telah memberikan respons positif,” Ibrahim Al-Hashimi, Director of the Media and Communication Department at the Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said during a press conference in Doha.
Iranian officials have maintained a rigid posture regarding formal talks. An unnamed Iranian official told Fars news agency that Tehran will only engage in negotiations if seven specific conditions are met, including the complete lifting of maritime blockades and unilateral sanctions, alongside the release of frozen assets.
Meanwhile, Trump claimed Iran’s domestic economy is collapsing under intense pressure. “Their inflation rate is 301 percent,” Trump said, adding that the Iranian military, naval and air forces are severely degraded.
The IRGC stated its strike on the Bahrain radar station was retaliation for an aerial attack on an Iranian telecommunications tower in Sirik, according to Press TV and Reuters.
No formal negotiations are underway, as Trump stated on November 12, 2026, that the US does not need an agreement, while Iranian officials insist on seven strict preconditions including lifted sanctions and unfrozen assets, according to CNN Indonesia and Antara News Jatim.
The US maintains an active maritime blockade on Iranian ports and leads Task Force Iron Gate to cut off trade routes through land and the Caspian Sea, as reported by Kompas.com.
Keep reading