Trump touts imminent decision on potential new attack on Iran

By Frank Andrews is a CBS News journalist based in London. Read Full Bio November 6, 2026 / 6:57 AM EST / CBS News Add CBS News on Google What to know about the Iran war today:President Trump said Thursday that the world "will know very soon" his decision on whether to make a deal to end the war with Iran, or to order new strikes to "destroy what is left" of the country.Mr. Trump called the Emir of Qatar to discuss efforts to end the war, the Qatari leader's office said Friday. The exchange came as Iran's top diplomat held a series of calls with his counterparts across the Persian Gulf - part of "efforts to maintain stability in the region."Motorists could soon see U.S. gas prices fall below $4 a gallon for the first time since July, energy experts tell CBS News. Global oil prices have ticked back up slightly after plummeting this week on expectations that the U.S. midterm election results could increase pressure on Mr. Trump to strike a deal with Iran. 10m ago Trump holds a phone call with Qatar's emir, a key mediator in negotiations with Iran President Trump called Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani to discuss efforts to end the U.S.-Iran war, the emir's office said Friday, amid a diplomatic push to avoid a new round of major hostilities.Their discussion, which the White House had not provided any information about by Friday morning, came as Iran's top diplomat made his own calls Thursday to counterparts across the Persian Gulf aimed at maintaining "stability in the region" amid concerns in many Gulf capitals that Mr. Trump will order major new U.S. strikes.Al Thani received a call from Mr. Trump, according to a statement from the emir's office, during which the pair discussed "the latest regional developments, particularly diplomatic efforts aimed at de-escalating tensions in the region."The emir "emphasized the importance of continuing dialogue and relying on diplomatic means to settle disputes and prevent further escalation," the statement said.CBS/AFP 10m ago U.S. gas prices could soon dip below $4 a gallon. Why are fuel costs falling? Motorists could soon see U.S. gas prices drop below $4 a gallon for the first time since July, according to energy experts.Patrick De Haan, a petroleum analyst at price-tracking firm GasBuddy, told CBS News he expected the national average for gas, which the price-tracking firm put at $4.06 a gallon on Thursday and early Friday morning, to dip below the $4 threshold by next week. He also predicted diesel could fall below $6 a gallon by Thanksgiving.Gas and diesel prices have both dropped over the last week, thanks largely to market expectations that the U.S. midterm election results would underscore public dissatisfaction with the Iran war and pile pressure on the Trump administration to make a deal to end the conflict, De Haan said."Oil prices have been falling in the run-up to the election," he said. "My read is because there was optimism that after the midterms these problems would be addressed."Read more here. 10m ago Saudi-led coalition intercepts 2 missiles launched by Houthis The Saudi-led coalition backing Yemen's government said Friday that air defense systems had intercepted and destroyed two ballistic missiles launched by the Iran-backed Houthi rebels at Najran, a major city in southwest Saudi Arabia."Debris fell as a result of the interception, and damage assessment is underway," the statement said. 10m ago Iran says 2 tankers hit mines, caught fire in and near Strait of Hormuz Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said in a statement carried by state media Friday that two oil tankers hit mines and caught fire in or near the Strait of Hormuz, a day after Tehran claimed five other tankers had met similar fates."Two violating oil tankers — one east of the Strait of Hormuz and the other within the Strait itself — that attempted to transit via an unauthorized route struck mines," the IRGC said in a statement, according to state news outlets."These two tankers had deactivated all their navigation and identification systems. Supported by the aggressive and terrorist U.S. military, they attempted to exit the Strait of Hormuz via an unauthorized path; however, upon striking mines, they caught fire and were immobilized," the statement said.On Thursday, Iranian media reported that five oil tankers and a tugboat caught fire in the Strait of Hormuz in similar incidents.There has been no confirmation of any of the incidents from maritime officials, and President Trump has accused Iran of making up such attacks to drive up global energy prices.A U.K. naval agency said earlier this week, however, that despite repeated assurances from the U.S. that shipping lanes through the strait are open and safe, there were at least 30 attacks on commercial vessels in the region during October alone, a record high. Since the war began with joint U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran on Feb. 28, Tehran has sought to control traffic through the strait, a key passage through which, before the war, about a fifth of global crude oil supplies would typically pass. In response, the U.S. imposed a blockade on Iranian ports.The U.S. military has escorted tankers through the strait, which, along with other routes has helped bring shipments from the Gulf back up to or at least near to pre-war levels, but ships continue coming under attack.CBS/AFP 10m ago Putin and Iran's security chief discuss building an oil pipeline from Russia to Iran Russian President Vladimir Putin met Iranian security chief Mohsen Rezaei in Moscow Thursday to discuss strengthening ties between the two countries, including with the potential construction of a pipeline for Iran to import Russian gas.Speaking with journalists after their meeting, Rezaei, Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, called it "an extremely important exchange," according to the Iranian embassy in Moscow."During the meeting with Mr. Vladimir Putin, discussions were held regarding the construction of gas pipelines from Russia to Iran," Rezaei was quoted as saying by Iranian state TV.He noted the aim was to enable Iran "to address its own gas shortages while also facilitating the sale of Russian gas to neighboring countries. A pool photograph distributed by the Russian state agency Sputnik shows Russian President Vladimir Putin shaking hands with Mohsen Rezaei, Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, ahead of talks in Moscow, Nov. 5, 2026. Alexey BABUSHKIN/POOL/AFP/Getty "Despite being a major producer, Iran has long suffered natural gas shortages, which have been exacerbated by the war with the United States and Israel.During the most intense phase of the fighting, which lasted nearly 40 days, the U.S. and Israel struck key Iranian infrastructure including natural gas refineries, according to Tehran.CBS/AFP 10m ago Trump touts imminent decision on whether he'll order strikes to "destroy what is left of" Iran President Trump said Thursday that people will "know soon enough" his decision on whether to order a new round of U.S. strikes to "destroy what is left of" Iran."Now we will make a decision [on Iran]. Do we want to go further ... and ensure that this will never happen again?" Mr. Trump told reporters in the Oval Office, adding that he believed it would take Iran "25 years to rebuild the country" from the damage already inflicted during the war. "I would prefer not to destroy what is left of the country, if possible, but I may have to do so. You will know very soon," he said. The president kept the possibility of a major new U.S. assault on Iran on the table in the run-up to the midterm elections this week, but hadn't renewed the threat since his Republican party's dismal performance in the vote, which he acknowledged was, at least in part, a repudiation of the war. An Iranian demonstrator holds a portrait of Iran's late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in front of a banner mocking President Trump during a pro-government rally in Tehran, Nov. 4, 2026. Morteza Nikoubazl/NurPhoto/Getty Mr. Trump told the Financial Times newspaper on Tuesday evening, as U.S. ballots were counted, that he had no immediate plans to order new strikes on Iran. In: War Iran Israel Ceasefire Donald Trump Saudi Arabia Yemen Middle East Oil and Gas Strait of Hormuz Hegseth vows to continue war with Iran amid bipartisan impeachment threats 02:19 Hegseth vows to continue war with Iran amid bipartisan impeachment threats (02:19)