US Military Ready for Major New Strikes on Iran Within 96 Hours of Trump's Order, Officials Say
The United States military is prepared to launch a new, potentially major round of strikes on Iran within 96 hours of receiving an order from President Donald Trump, two U.S. officials told CNN on Sunday evening, October 25. The officials said sufficient American forces are now deployed in the Middle East to carry out the potential attacks.
The scope of any new operation would likely go well beyond the "mow the lawn" approach used since Trump halted full combat operations earlier this year — striking radars, missile launchers and other Iranian assets that can be quickly reconstituted. "It will be a big effort," one official told CNN. Leaders at U.S. Central Command and the Pentagon have been developing a wide-ranging target list that includes Iranian energy infrastructure, military sites and nuclear facilities.
Other current and former officials familiar with the internal planning discussions say it is now a question of when, not if, Trump issues the order: it could come at any time before the end of the year, though most likely after the November 3 midterm elections. Officials say Trump has not made a final decision on post-midterm action but appears to be leaning toward major action, while cautioning that he has leaned toward a course before only to back off at the last moment.
A senior Pentagon official told CNN in a statement: "The Department is a planning organization, and its job is to develop and execute military options ordered by the President." The White House declined to comment. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been pushing for a new round of strikes on Iran, but Washington has asked to delay until the U.S. government is ready. The New York Times reported on October 21 that the U.S. and Israeli militaries have drawn up concrete plans for a short, intensive operation after the midterms, with targets possibly including Iranian energy infrastructure, nuclear facilities and missile and drone arsenals.
Recent U.S. intelligence assessments indicate that Iran and Yemen's Houthis are taking the prospect of renewed U.S. or Israeli strikes seriously, and that if Iran is struck first, Tehran and the Houthis would retaliate almost without hesitation against U.S. personnel and facilities in the Middle East and possibly beyond. Given the risk, the United States is expected to continue drawing down embassy staff across the region in the coming days. Earlier this month, Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton wrote in an unclassified memo to Secretary of State Marco Rubio that Iran has significantly stepped up operational planning against U.S. personnel, with activity in advanced stages in the Middle East and some other countries.
Trump said on October 24 in Florida that the United States is considering a new round of strikes on Iran, possibly "maybe tomorrow," while saying a deal remains possible. The aircraft carrier USS George Washington has been operating at night in the Arabian Sea and is reportedly taking on long-range missiles and bunker-buster bombs. On October 26, senior delegations from Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkey arrived in Tehran for talks with Iranian leaders, as regional diplomacy and military preparations proceed in parallel.
Related: Trump, Leaving the White House Sunday, Tells Reporters: No Strike on Iran Today
Related: Saudi, Pakistani and Turkish Delegations Arrive in Tehran for Talks with Iranian Leaders
Source: GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 美国海军「乔治·华盛顿」号航空母舰在海上进行补给作业。图片：美国海军，公共领域，取自维基共享资源。
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