U.S. military action against Tehran may escalate into a new wave of massive strikes depending on a pending decision by President Donald Trump. "Do I want to go in and annihilate them or do I not?" Trump told Axios in an interview published Thursday, where he described the choice as a "big decision" and a "major crossroads." West Texas Intermediate oil reclaimed $97 following the revelation that the U.S. is evaluating the resume of large-scale strikes to end the conflict.

Trump will meet leaders from Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, and Oman next Tuesday on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York to determine the next phase of the war. He stated that Tehran remains in direct contact with Washington to seek a deal, while the current naval blockade has stopped all shipping to Iran. Trump declined to specify if the final determination on further military action will occur before or after the U.S. midterm elections.