President Trump said Thursday he is closing in on a decision that could reignite full-scale American military strikes on Iran, telling reporters "I have a big decision coming up" as Washington weighs how to finally end a war that has dragged on for more than seven months.

Trump said he believes an end to the conflict "could be near," claiming Iran wants to reach a deal and that he has heard from Tehran "directly." His remarks, tracked in a running briefing from The Times of Israel, come as the administration debates whether to escalate the war or pursue a renewed round of negotiations.

Seven Months of Fighting

Trump announced "major combat operations" against Iran on Feb. 28, launching joint U.S.-Israeli strikes on military, government and infrastructure targets across the country. Delegations from both nations met in June to hash out a war-ending memorandum of understanding, but the talks collapsed as strikes continued on both sides, with the Strait of Hormuz emerging as the conflict's most dangerous flashpoint, according to NBC News' reporting on the strikes and their fallout across the Gulf.

In August, Trump said the U.S. would instead launch a "crushing economic operation" meant to force Tehran into submission without further bombing. That posture appears to be giving way this week to renewed talk of a large-scale military option — even as the president simultaneously dangles the prospect of a negotiated exit.

"I HAVE A BIG DECISION COMING UP."

Oil markets have wobbled on the uncertainty, with prices tracked by ABC News swinging on fears of renewed disruption to Gulf shipping lanes that carry a fifth of the world's oil.

The stakes extend well beyond the battlefield. Insurers have repriced tanker routes through Hormuz, Gulf allies have quietly pressed Washington for clarity, and Iran's own economy — already battered by sanctions and months of strikes — is being squeezed harder by the day. Tehran's public posture of wanting "direct" talks with Washington sits awkwardly next to its continued military exchanges with U.S. and allied forces, a contradiction American officials say they're trying to test.

Congress Pushes Back

The president's next move also lands amid friction at home. The House voted this month to strip Trump of his expanded Iran war powers, a rebuke the White House has so far brushed aside as non-binding. Lawmakers in both parties have pressed the administration for a clearer accounting of strategy and cost as the war enters its eighth month with no formal endgame.

Washington is also allowing an Iranian delegation to attend the United Nations General Assembly in New York next week, a sign diplomatic channels remain open even as the military option stays on the table. Whether Trump's "big decision" tips toward another wave of strikes or a negotiated off-ramp is expected to become clear within days, according to officials briefed on the deliberations.