theSIGNAL NEWS
24 October 2026
"War is a continuation of politics by other means."
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World

Trump Hints at "Another Little Epic Fury" on Iran

At a Florida rally, the US president suggested fresh strikes on Iran were possible, as an eight-month war and rising fuel prices shadow the midterms.

Donald Trump has floated a new attack on Iran. Speaking at a campaign rally in Fort Myers, Florida, on Friday, the US president said: "We may do another little Epic Fury." He gave no details. "Epic Fury" is the name of the joint Israeli-American operation that began the war at the end of February.

That conflict is now close to its eight-month mark. Trump's phrase "little" is striking, because the original operation set off a war that has lasted far longer than many observers expected. The timing matters. Americans vote in congressional midterm elections on November 3, and fuel prices are rising.

Reports say the war is helping to push up what drivers pay, and that is weighing on the campaign. Trump has previously signalled that he is open to resuming strikes after a long diplomatic deadlock. According to the same reports, however, he does not want to act before the vote. Tehran, meanwhile, is sending a different message.

Iranian officials say there is no military solution to the war, and peace talks with Washington have stalled.

Photo: Rob Curran / Unsplash
Donald Trump speaks at a campaign rally in Fort Myers, Florida, on Friday, October 23.
🗳️
November 3
US midterm election date, reportedly before any new strikes
Discuss
  • Why might a leader describe a possible military operation as 'little' when the earlier one began a major war?
  • How do rising fuel prices connect a distant war to voters' daily lives in different countries?
World

A Trilateral Table Nobody Is Ready For

A formal trilateral is on the table. Nobody looks comfortable. Analysts warn that such a format would force hard strategic questions on Brussels, Kyiv and Beijing alike. The EU would have to define what it wants from China. Ukraine would risk appearing to legitimise a partner often accused of backing Russia's economy.…
  • Would formal talks make China more accountable, or simply give it greater influence over Europe?
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We may do another little Epic Fury.
Donald Trump, President of the United States
World

Trump Floats Seizing Iran's Oil, Even Its Territory

Donald Trump reopened the threat of war with Iran on Friday. "We could just take all the oil," he told reporters, adding that the US could even "take the whole country." Hours later, in Florida, he hinted at "another little Epic Fury," recalling the February 28 offensive. Washington is also cutting staff at four Middle East embassies, citing intelligence of Iranian plots against Americans.…
  • Can threats to seize a nation's oil ever be reconciled with international law?
ASIA · World
Trump, Putin and Xi at one table, without Ukraine. What Moscow wants from the proposal and why Beijing might agree.
AMERICAS · World
OpenAI says its agents turned off own safeguards
AFRICA · World
Nigeria confirms Ebola case as outbreak spreads into western Africa
ASIA · World
North Korea Wants Security Talks With the US, Not Nuclear Talks
theSIGNAL IN THE LAB
IVOCABULARY
deadlockmidterm elections
rallystalledrhetoric
legitimiseambiguity
IIGRAMMAR FOCUS
Cleft sentences — It was X that / What I need is
Cleft sentences split a clause to put emphasis on one part: 'It + be + focus + that/who ...' highlights a person, thing or time, while 'What + clause + be + focus' (a wh-cleft) highlights the information that follows 'is' or 'was'.
It · What · that · who · was · is · where
  1. Trump said at a rally in Fort Myers was that the US 'may do another little Epic Fury'.
  2. It was at a campaign rally in Florida the president hinted at a new attack on Iran.
  3. It is rising fuel prices are weighing on the campaign, according to reports.
  4. What analysts find striking the word 'little' in Trump's remark.
  5. It was the joint Israeli-American operation began the war at the end of February.
  6. Tehran keeps repeating is that there is no military solution to the war.
IIIDEPENDENT PREPOSITIONS
Complete each phrase with the correct preposition. All from today’s articles.
  1. Reports say the war is helping to push up what drivers pay, and that is weighing ___ the campaign.
  2. Washington is cutting staff at four embassies, citing intelligence ___ Iranian plots against Americans.
  3. Trump has previously signalled that he is open ___ resuming strikes after a long diplomatic deadlock.
  4. Ukraine would risk appearing to legitimise a partner often accused ___ backing Russia's economy.
  5. Such a format would force hard strategic questions ___ Brussels, Kyiv and Beijing alike.
IVCRITICAL THINKING
Within a single week, the same leader has spoken of a "little" strike, of taking "all the oil" and of taking "the whole country". Do wildly varying threats like these make a government's position more credible or less, and who is each version of the message really meant for? Consider how an ally, an adversary and a domestic voter might each interpret the same set of statements differently.
VCREATIVE · HEADLINES
Write a headline for the top story in each of the following styles. One line each, no explanation:
  • TABLOID NEWSPAPER
  • LUXURY MAGAZINE
  • ACTIVIST BLOG
VIWRITING
Imagine you are a diplomat at one of the four embassies where staff numbers are being cut. Write a short private email (100-120 words) to a colleague at home explaining how the situation feels on the ground and what you think the reduction signals.
VIIDEGREES OF EXTREMITY
Complete each ladder from mild to strong.
  • a diplomatic stalemate→→
  • drop hints about→→
  • put some pressure on→→
  • a modest rise in fuel prices→→
  • hold back from acting→→
  • a limited strike→→
VIIISPEAKING
  1. Should a country's staff be withdrawn from embassies whenever intelligence suggests a threat?
  2. How might energy bills in Europe and Asia change if Gulf oil supplies are disrupted?
  3. Is ambiguity a strength or a weakness for a country like China in diplomacy?
  4. Would Ukraine gain or lose credibility by sitting at a table with China?