US President Donald Trump has roughly eight weeks to decide whether to launch another large-scale military operation against Iran, according to NBC News. Citing sources familiar with internal White House discussions, the network reported that several members of Trump’s inner circle believe the window for renewed military action is rapidly closing.

The urgency stems from expectations that Democrats will take control of both chambers of Congress in January, potentially making further military escalation much more difficult.

Under that scenario, the administration could face congressional investigations and a resolution demanding an immediate end to hostilities. Some US officials are therefore urging Trump to authorize another round of strikes within the coming weeks.

Potential targets reportedly include Iranian nuclear facilities, among them the Pickaxe Mountain complex, as well as oil and gas infrastructure.

The proposed military campaign would be shorter than previous operations but considerably more intense, according to the report.

NBC News identified Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth as one of the leading advocates of expanding military action against Iran.

Hegseth reportedly blames the current diplomatic deadlock on administration officials who persuaded Trump to suspend active combat operations in April and subsequently agree to a memorandum with Tehran.

Sources named Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, special envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner among the officials involved in those earlier decisions.

The divisions highlight the lack of agreement within Trump’s administration over how to handle the confrontation with Iran.

While some advisers favor renewed military strikes, others oppose further escalation, warning that another offensive could undermine efforts to secure a peace agreement with Tehran.

On November 6, Trump reported that negotiations with Iran had made some progress. Nevertheless, Fox News subsequently reported that Washington was considering resuming military operations as early as November 9.

The competing positions leave the administration weighing renewed military pressure against the risk of derailing diplomatic efforts.