Trump says US effectively countered Iran's response.

Trump says US effectively countered Iran's response.

U.S. President Donald Trump has announced that the United States will take action to counter Iran's response to the ongoing Israel-Iran conflict. The White House confirmed that Trump will determine within the next two weeks whether the U.S. will become directly involved in the conflict [1].

Wall Street's major indices opened higher on Friday, mirroring gains in global markets after Trump delayed a decision on potential U.S. involvement. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 119.4 points, or 0.28%, to 42,291.09 at the open. The S&P 500 gained 18.8 points, or 0.31%, to start at 5,999.67, while the Nasdaq Composite climbed 93.1 points, or 0.48%, to 19,639.41 [1].

The announcement follows Trump's earlier remarks indicating he had not yet decided on whether to join the conflict. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt conveyed a message from the president, stating, "Given the substantial possibility of negotiations with Iran in the near future, I will make my decision on potential U.S. involvement within the next two weeks" [1].

The U.S. military buildup in the region signals a posture of high readiness amid growing uncertainty over whether Trump will back Israel's offensive against Iran. Satellite imagery shows that all forward-deployed U.S. Navy vessels have left a key port in Bahrain, indicating movement into strategic positions across the Persian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz, or Gulf of Oman [2].

The White House has declined to comment on hypothetical scenarios, including whether Iranian officials might be invited to Washington or whether the president would seek congressional approval for any military action. The Trump administration continues to project strategic ambiguity, offering few details about its internal deliberations or possible moves [1].

The conflict has led to a rise in oil prices, with Brent crude futures settling up $2.15, or 2.8%, to $78.85 a barrel, its highest close since January 22. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude for July was up $2.06, or 2.7%, to $77.20 at 1330 EST (1730 GMT) [3].

The key question will be whether the United States joins the action. U.S. Air Force aerial refueling aircraft are also headed for the Middle East amid an escalating war between Israel and Iran [2].

References:
[1] https://www.financialexpress.com/business/investing-abroad-dow-jones-opens-higher-as-trump-sets-two-week-deadline-on-us-response-to-israel-iran-war-3887486/
[2] https://www.newsweek.com/satellite-images-show-us-navy-vessels-deploy-possible-iran-attack-looms-2087111
[3] https://ca.finance.yahoo.com/news/oil-falls-investors-weigh-chance-012107357.html