Washington, United States. The U.S. military is preparing for the possibility of sustained, weeks-long operations against Iran if President Donald Trump orders an attack, two U.S. officials told Reuters. The officials said such an operation could lead to a more serious conflict than previously seen between the countries.
Military planning and diplomatic talks
The officials, speaking on condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the planning, said the preparations raise the stakes for diplomacy between the United States and Iran. U.S. and Iranian diplomats held talks in Oman last week aimed at reviving diplomacy over Tehran’s nuclear program, after Trump amassed military forces in the region.
Additional U.S. forces to the Middle East
U.S. officials said on Friday the Pentagon was sending an additional aircraft carrier to the Middle East, adding thousands more troops along with fighter aircraft, guided-missile destroyers and other firepower capable of conducting attacks and defending against them.
Trump and White House comments
Speaking to U.S. troops on Friday at a base in North Carolina, Trump said it had “been difficult to make a deal” with Iran. “Sometimes you have to have fear. That’s the only thing that really will get the situation taken care of,” Trump said.
Asked about preparations for a potentially sustained U.S. military operation, White House spokesperson Anna Kelly said: “President Trump has all options on the table with regard to Iran.” Kelly added that Trump “listens to a variety of perspectives on any given issue, but makes the final decision based on what is best for our country and national security.”
Previous deployments and past strikes
The United States sent two aircraft carriers to the region last year, when it carried out strikes against Iranian nuclear sites. Officials said June’s “Midnight Hammer” operation was essentially a one-off U.S. attack, with stealth bombers flying from the United States to strike Iranian nuclear facilities, and that Iran staged a very limited retaliatory strike on a U.S. base in Qatar.
What do you think the increased U.S. military presence in the Middle East means for the prospects of U.S.-Iran diplomacy?