NEW YORK, (APP – UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News – 5th Sep, 2026) US intelligence reports indicate that Iran has grown more confident in its military capabilities following six months of conflict with US and may be contemplating a significant escalation, according to a leading American newspaper.
Citing individuals who have reviewed recent US intelligence reports, The New York Times said in a front-page report that Iran has grown more confident in its ability to strike targets in the middle East.
According to the assessment, Iran appears determined to prolong the war for months, aiming to exhaust Washington and increase political pressure on President Donald Trump ahead of the midterm elections.
The dispatch also said that the U.S. may have underestimated Iranian resilience and capacity to withstand sustained bombardments and severe economic pressure.
The confrontation has defied early US expectations of a quick resolution, leaving officials struggling to shift strategies as Tehran views mere survival as a victory.
According to those who have reviewed the intelligence evaluations, there are currently few indicators that Tehran is prepared to offer a broad deal to the United States.
Some US officials believe that Iran sees benefit in the continuation of the war as long as its political costs accumulate within the United States, the report states.
The intelligence reports do not rule out that the Iranian government is considering greater escalation. The newspaper does not state that a decision has been made or that a major attack is imminent and certain, but it indicates that limited military escalation may not be the ceiling of what Tehran is considering.
The US assessment is that Iran may repeat in the coming weeks a pattern similar to its actions in July, including striking US bases in the Middle East, attacking shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, and targeting infrastructure in Kuwait and other countries.
The file of cyberattacks within the United States has also become part of the assessment of Iran’s capacity to apply pressure. US officials believe that hackers linked to Iran were likely responsible for attacks targeting more than 100 US water systems in late July. The attacks caused disruptions at some sites, requiring a shift to manual operations and the issuance of precautionary boil-water advisories.
APP/ift
