As the eyes of the Middle East remain fixed on one man — Donald Trump — who according to reports has yet to decide whether to go to war with Iran, American media outlets are publishing a growing number of reports on U.S. military preparations and the options facing Washington.
The Wall Street Journal reported overnight Wednesday that Trump was briefed on several options for striking Iran aimed at maximizing damage to the Iranian regime and its regional proxies.
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Ayatollah Ali Khamenei; Trump; the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford; U.S. fighter jets
(Photo: REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst, Office of the Iranian Supreme Leader/WANA (West Asia News Agency)/Handout via REUTERS)
U.S. officials cited by the Journal said the options include targeting dozens of Iranian leaders, both civilian and military, in an effort to topple the regime. However, The New York Times reported that Trump’s national security advisers cautioned there are no guarantees that an operation designed to bring about regime change would succeed.
Another option presented to the president, according to the Journal, would limit strikes to specific targets such as nuclear facilities or ballistic missile sites. Even a campaign focused on those objectives could last weeks, the report said.
The Journal noted that in recent weeks the U.S. military has moved a range of aircraft to bases in Jordan and Saudi Arabia, amounting to the largest American military buildup in the region since the 2003 invasion of Iraq.
White House spokeswoman: 'There are many reasons to strike Iran'
(Video: White House Press Office)
The New York Times reported overnight that there is no indication Trump has made a decision. Similar reports appeared in several other U.S. outlets.
In any case, according to the Times, the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford, expected to arrive in the Middle East by the end of the week or early next week, may initially be deployed in the Mediterranean Sea off Israel’s coast to help defend Tel Aviv and other cities.
The Times report said the U.S. deployment places a range of potential Iranian targets within reach, including short- and medium-range missiles, missile stockpiles, nuclear sites and Revolutionary Guard command centers. Strikes against Iran’s leadership were not mentioned in that report.
Conflicting signals
Reuters cited a senior U.S. official as saying Washington is still expecting Iran to submit a written proposal to break the deadlock in talks. Hours later, CBS reported that senior security officials told Trump the military would be ready for possible strikes on Iran as early as Saturday.
An apparent attempt to cool expectations of imminent war came from another senior U.S. official, who told Reuters that Secretary of State Marco Rubio is expected to visit Israel late next week to discuss Iran with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. A visit by the secretary of state during wartime, when missiles could be falling, would be considered unusual, suggesting the president’s order may not be imminent.
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On its way to the region: the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford
(Photo: Maxwell Orlosky / US DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE / AFP)
In Israel over the past day, officials have assessed that a decisive moment is approaching, but stressed that everything still depends on Trump’s decision on whether diplomatic options with Tehran have been exhausted.
The flurry of reports over the past 24 hours does not necessarily point in a clear direction, but does reflect heightened alertness on both sides. It also cannot be ruled out that some of the reports are part of efforts by the sides to mislead one another.
Iran announced that it would close its southern airspace Thursday for what it described as “extensive missile launches,” and earlier declared it was closing the Strait of Hormuz as part of a large-scale exercise.