President Donald Trump has ordered the US military to launch a fresh strike on Iran as early as this weekend, according to a report by the Wall Street Journal.

Citing unnamed US officials, the newspaper reported that the planned strikes are intended to force Iran into surrendering.

In a related development, an Axios report said that President Trump is seriously considering launching attacks against energy targets in Iran in the next few days, but hasn’t given final orders to do it.

The reports came hours after Trump questioned the future of negotiations with Tehran and renewed threats of military retaliation following an attack on a US military base in Jordan.

“We’ll be hitting them very hard,” Trump said during a Cabinet meeting on Friday.

“At some point they’ll say, ‘We just can’t take it anymore.’”

In a separate report, CBS News said the United States is also considering targeting Iran’s energy infrastructure, including oil refineries and power plants, in what would mark a significant escalation of the conflict.

Human rights advocates have warned that deliberate attacks on civilian infrastructure could amount to war crimes.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt did not confirm the reports of imminent military action but reiterated the administration’s hardline stance.

“Iran will continue to pay until they come to the table in what President Trump deems a meaningful way,” she said in a statement.

Financial markets reacted swiftly to the reports, with US benchmark West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude climbing above $86 per barrel in after-hours trading.

Also on Friday, Trump voiced scepticism over the prospects for diplomacy with Iran.

“I’m losing faith in them because they do lie and they do misrepresent,” he told reporters at Camp David, while repeating that sustained military pressure would eventually force Tehran to change course.

Speaking during a televised Cabinet meeting at Camp David, Trump said Iranian leaders could not be trusted despite ongoing diplomatic engagement between the two countries.

“They do lie, and they do misrepresent,” Trump said. “They always want to talk, but they break their word so often.”

Despite his criticism, Trump said senior US officials remained in contact with Iranian counterparts.

He named Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, Senior Adviser Jared Kushner, Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio as leading the negotiations.

“We have great people talking,” Trump said.

The US president also referred to a recent missile attack on an American military base in Jordan, saying it occurred while diplomatic talks were underway.

“Instead, I got a call from Pete that they just shot five missiles at one of our bases in Jordan,” Trump said, referring to US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth.

Asked whether more attacks could follow, Trump declined to rule out the possibility.

“I think I’m going to be foolish to say no. You always have to keep your guard up,” he said, adding that while Iran might temporarily regain strength, it would eventually weaken.