The Trump administration is weighing limited military strikes against Iran as a means to compel Tehran into negotiations over a new nuclear agreement, according to a report published Thursday by Israeli media outlet The Times of Israel.The proposal represents a paradoxical approach to diplomacy—using military force to achieve a diplomatic settlement—and underscores the administration's increasingly aggressive posture toward the Islamic Republic. To understand today's headlines, we must look at yesterday's decisions: President Trump withdrew the United States from the Iran nuclear deal in 2018 during his first term, a move that European allies criticized and that set the stage for years of escalating tensions.The potential strikes would be limited in scope, targeting military installations or nuclear facilities, rather than a broader campaign, according to sources cited in the Israeli report. The aim would be to demonstrate American resolve while creating sufficient pressure to bring Iranian leadership to the negotiating table.The Times of Israel report cited unnamed American and Israeli officials familiar with internal White House deliberations. Neither the White House National Security Council nor the Pentagon would confirm or deny the report when contacted by international media.Iran's mission to the United Nations dismissed the report as "psychological warfare" and warned that any military action would be met with "a decisive response." The statement, issued late Thursday, said Iran remains open to "serious negotiations" but only on the basis of mutual respect.The timing of these deliberations coincides with increased tensions across the Middle East. Iran has expanded its uranium enrichment activities in recent months, according to International Atomic Energy Agency reports, bringing it closer to weapons-grade material though Tehran insists its nuclear program remains peaceful.European diplomats expressed alarm at the reports. A senior EU official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that "military action would destroy any remaining chance for a negotiated solution and could trigger a wider regional conflict."The situation places America's European and Arab allies in a difficult position. While many share concerns about Iran's nuclear ambitions and regional activities, few support a military approach that could destabilize an already volatile region and potentially draw them into a broader confrontation.