Trump weighs sending 10,000 more US troops to Middle East - WSJ

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul on Thursday expressed full solidarity with Saudi Arabia after meeting counterpart Faisal bin Farhan, condemning the Iranian ongoing indiscriminate attacks.

“We agree we must prevent further escalation. Regional stability must not be jeopardized,” Germany foreign ministry posted on X.

US House Speaker Mike Johnson said on Thursday Washington hopes to resolve the conflict with Iran without further military action, adding that pressure from US troop deployments could influence Tehran’s leadership.

Speaking to Fox News, Johnson said Iranian leaders appeared to have taken note of President Donald Trump’s “resolve” and the US military buildup in the region.

"We have a build up of troops there, because we're trying to point that out to them, and I think it'll have the desired effect. It should not be necessary. I hope that it's not. I hope this resolves soon," Johnson said.

"That the desire of Congress, again, so we don't have to take further action. We're still in the the 60 day mark of this operation, the president's well within his legal authority to do this. And he did it as a defensive strike because of an eminent threat, and that's what we had to do," he added.

Former Israeli defense minister Yoav Gallant on Thursday called for the United States and Israel to seize Kharg Island, saying it would deal a decisive blow to Iran’s economy.

In a post on Substack, Gallant said Kharg Island serves as Iran’s primary oil export terminal, handling the vast majority of its crude shipments, and argued that capturing it would cripple the country’s economy and force the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.

“As long as Iran controls the Strait of Hormuz, the regime retains a veto over the global economy. As long as the world’s energy supply remains hostage to Iranian weapons deployed along a hundred miles of coastline, the destruction of nuclear and missile sites will be overshadowed by an economic crisis that erodes the will to finish the job,” Gallant said.

“Kharg Island is the key that resolves this equation. It accelerates the economic and political pressure that may finally produce the internal change the Iranian people have sought for decades. And it sends a message air strikes alone cannot deliver: The U.S. is committed to a decisive outcome, and it is not going home without one,” he added.

President Donald Trump said in an interview with Fox News on Thursday that the United States “knocked out” most of Iran’s missile capabilities and key military systems, and had given Tehran 10 days to comply with US demands.

Trump said Iranian officials had requested more time through intermediaries ahead of a potential escalation, and that he agreed to extend a deadline from seven to 10 days.

“They asked for seven, and I gave them 10,” he said, adding that talks were ongoing and “going fairly well.”

Trump warned that if Iran failed to meet US demands, Washington could target additional infrastructure, including power plants.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke with KRG Prime Minister Masrour Barzani on Thursday to offer condolences for Peshmerga killed in terrorist attacks.

According to Deputy Spokesperson post on X, Rubio condemned Iran and its militias for strikes on civilian infrastructure in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region.