Trump says he faces a "big decision" on whether to "annihilate" the Iranian regime, and the uncertainty is bad for a war-weary public and a strained US military.

• Trump told Axios he is deciding whether to go in and wipe out Iran's regime, adding "anything could happen."
• He meets Gulf leaders in days, and any return to full-scale combat would need buy-in from Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, and Oman.
• Trump and Hegseth have ordered US forces to stay at current levels in the Middle East through year-end, ready to resume fighting.
• The military is under strain: bases and diplomatic sites have taken hundreds of millions in damage, ships need repairs, supplies are running low, and morale is suffering.
• Support for the war has fallen to 28%, and a Washington Post report says the US death toll is higher than the Pentagon's official 18.

Outlook: US officials say Trump must decide quickly, so the coming Gulf meeting will likely show whether the next phase is diplomacy or renewed military action.