- President Donald Trump has escalated America's military response to Iran after a string of attacks on commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz.
The White House has signaled it is prepared to keep striking for days, or even weeks, if Tehran refuses to back down.
Some of Trump's advisers have reportedly taken to referring to the offensive by the informal nickname 'Operation B**** Slap,' according to the New York Post.
Multiple administration officials told the newspaper the phrase has been used privately in conversations and emails, although White House and Pentagon officials stressed it is not the official name of any military operation.
Behind the scenes, officials say the duration of the renewed bombing campaign will depend almost entirely on how Iran responds in the coming days.
The President has made clear he has little appetite for allowing further attacks on international shipping to go unanswered, particularly after Iran targeted multiple vessels in the Strait of Hormuz earlier this week.
'He still wants this thing to be over. But if Iran is shooting at ships, he's not just gonna sit there and do nothing,' a source close to the White House told the Post.
Another former White House official told the paper that Trump's decision-making has become increasingly personal as tensions mount.
'Trump is not coordinating with anyone... he's going with his gut,' the former official said.
The President's latest military push marks a sharp shift from the fragile diplomatic efforts that had followed months of fighting.
Trump declared this week that both the three-month ceasefire and the more recent memorandum of understanding with Tehran were effectively finished.
He warned Iran's leaders they could face attacks on critical infrastructure, a renewed blockade and even the seizure of Kharg Island if hostilities continue.
His increasingly combative rhetoric has also caught attention inside Washington.
On Wednesday, Trump branded Iran's leadership 'scum,' 'liar
