The United States has indicated that it is keeping all options open in its ongoing conflict with Iran, even as President Donald Trump has spoken about possibly winding down the war. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said that the administration is prepared to escalate if needed. Speaking to NBC News, Bessent said, “Sometimes you have to escalate to de-escalate,” when asked whether the US was increasing its military actions.

US signals possible escalation in Iran conflict

According to the BBC, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent also reiterated that “all options are on the table", including the possibility of further military involvement. When asked specifically about deploying US troops to Kharg Island, Bessent pointed to what he described as a successful US bombing campaign on the island and did not rule out additional steps.

Kharg Island is a critical location for Iran, as around 90% of its oil exports pass through terminals there via pipelines from the mainland. The US has previously said it struck more than 90 military targets on the island during its operations.

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Clear military goals and pressure on Iran

Bessent said the US has “very clear goals” in the conflict. These include destroying Iran’s navy and air force, weakening its missile capabilities, and preventing it from rebuilding its weapons systems.

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He also stressed that the US will ensure Iran can never develop a nuclear weapon, underlining a key objective of Washington’s strategy in the region. At the same time, Bessent downplayed recent Iranian attacks, describing most of them as “lone wolf activities". He said two missiles fired at a joint UK-US base in Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean were acts of "desperation".