Washington/Tehran, 25 October (H.S.): The United States is once again considering a possible military strike against Iran amid escalating tensions in the Middle East over the Strait of Hormuz, while Tehran has blamed Washington for the breakdown of negotiations on an interim agreement. Meanwhile, as concerns grow over the possibility of Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels expanding their attacks, the US has begun withdrawing personnel from several diplomatic missions across the region.

According to reports by Al Jazeera and Axios, US President Donald Trump has indicated that Washington could consider launching an attack on Iran as early as Sunday. He said the United States might have to “finish the job” through military action or reach an agreement with Tehran instead.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, meanwhile, has blamed the United States for the collapse of negotiations on an interim agreement. He described the Americans as “cowards” and accused them of having “messed everything up”. Despite the breakdown in talks, Pezeshkian maintained that Tehran should continue its efforts to reach an agreement.

US officials are concerned that the Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen could expand the scope of their attacks beyond Saudi Arabia to other countries across the region. Against the backdrop of an increasingly volatile security environment, the possibility of renewed military operations by the United States and Israel against Iran remains a major concern.

Speaking at a rally in Florida on Friday, Trump hinted at the possibility of further military action, saying, “Maybe we’ll do another little ‘Operation Epic Fury’.”

Earlier this week, the US State Department ordered the departure of family members of American personnel and non-essential staff from the US Embassy in Riyadh, as well as the consulates in Jeddah and Dhahran, Saudi Arabia.

A US official said that on Friday, the department also ordered a reduction in the number of diplomatic and government personnel at American embassies in the United Arab Emirates, Lebanon, Qatar and Jordan.

“We have determined that, given the threats posed by Houthi attacks and Iranian terrorist plots, we should reduce our presence and retain only essential personnel,” the official said.

The developments come amid heightened regional insecurity, with Washington weighing its military options against Iran while diplomatic efforts to secure an interim agreement remain stalled. The withdrawal of non-essential personnel from several US diplomatic missions underscores growing concerns about the potential for further escalation and the widening reach of attacks across the Middle East.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar