The US Central Command on Thursday will brief US President Donald Trump on new plans for potential military action in Iran, Axios reported citing sources familiar with the matter.
The briefing, to be led by CENTCOM Commander Adm. Brad Cooper, signals that the US president is open to considering resuming combat operations in Iran to break the logjam in negotiations or to deliver a final blow before ending the war.
Three sources of knowledge on the matter told Axios that CENTCOM has prepared a plan for a âshort and powerfulâ operation in Iran, likely including infrastructure targets, in an effort to break the current deadlock and push both sides towards a common consensus after multiple failed rounds of negotiations.
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Another proposal expected to be presented to Trump involves seizing control of parts of the Strait of Hormuz to restore commercial shipping â a move that could require deploying ground forces.
A third plan which might come up in the briefing is a special forces operation to secure Iran’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium.
Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan Caine is also expected to attend Thursday’s briefing, the sources said.
Military officials are also considering the possibility Iran will take military action against US forces in the region in retaliation for the blockade.
Trump tells aides to prepare for extended US blockade of Strait of Hormuz
This comes a day after Trump told his aides to prepare for an extended blockade of Strait of Hormuz – which he sees as his main strategy of building pressure on Iran. He reportedly opted to continue âsqueezingâ Iranâs economy and oil export by preventing shipping to and from its ports.
Also Read: Amid stalled peace talks, Trump tells aides to prepare for extended US blockade of Strait of Hormuz: Report
His other options included â stopping the war or resume bombing â both carrying more risk than the blockade.
However, sources told Axios that the US president is not ruling out use of military action if Iran continues to resist.
Pentagon painting a ârosyâ picture of the Iran war?
Reports have surfaced claiming Vice President JD Vance is worried that President Donald Trump may not be getting the full picture of the conflict from the Pentagon.
Also Read: Would ships be allowed to safely pass the Strait of Hormuz after US’ war ends? What Iran said
People familiar with the information told reporters Vance has questioned the accuracy of the Pentagon’s information about the war. Another concern that looms over the vice president is that Trump is being shown âtwo-minuteâ reels of the war, which portrays the US to be winning.
Vanceâs main concern as the conflict continues is that the US may run out of its weapons, especially its missile stockpiles, according to a report by The Atlantic.
USâ war on Iran costed $25 billion till now
Amid an already tense and sensitive situation, a senior Pentagon official said that the United States war against Iran has cost $25 billion till now. Providing the first official estimate of military spending of the US, officials said that most of this was used to fund ammunition.
Also Read: US 8-week long war in Iran has cost $25 billion so far, says Pentagon official
The war, now in its eighth week, stands at a delicate juncture, with a fragile ceasefire in place, tensions over a possible blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, and no parties currently at the negotiating table. Previous attempts to reach a deal have failed, as both sides were unable to arrive at an agreement.
The US has been pushing for Iran to halt its nuclear ambitions for at least 20 years. Meanwhile, in a new three-point proposal sent to Washington, Iran has sought to delay negotiations over its nuclear programme to a later stage.
The CENTCOM chief gave a similar briefing to Trump two days before the US, Israel attacked Iran. A source close to Trump said the briefing contributed to Trump’s decision to go to war.