US President Donald Trump has kept the option of renewed military strikes against Iran on the table after November's midterm elections, according to multiple reports. The Wall Street Journal reported that Trump turned down a seven-day truce offer from Iran and told aides he expects to launch new strikes once the midterms are over. In a separate interview with TIME magazine, Trump said ramped up military strikes after the elections were a possibility.

The Pentagon has concentrated as many as three aircraft carrier strike groups and two amphibious groups in the Middle East, with more than 20,000 sailors and Marines in the region. Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian said Tehran would never shy away from dialogue, even as Trump threatened heavier bombing. The seven-month war has disrupted the Strait of Hormuz and kept oil markets on edge, with both sides far from agreement.

Diplomatic efforts through mediators continue, but a breakthrough remains elusive.