President of the United States Donald Trump Returning from China on Friday, top aides, facing mounting pressure over the war with Iran, are preparing options for new military action against Tehran if diplomacy fails.Pentagon officials have drafted plans for possible resumption of strikes in new military operations after suspending Operation Epic Fury during a ceasefire in April, The New York Times reported. However, Trump has not yet made a final decision.“I look at it and if I don’t like the first sentence, I’m going to throw it out,” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One, referring to Iran’s latest peace proposal.The United States, Israel and regional officials are trying to reach a compromise that could lead to Iran reopening the Strait of Hormuz, allowing Trump to claim a diplomatic breakthrough amid growing domestic criticism of the costly conflict.
Pentagon prepares upgrade options
War Secretary Pete Hegseth told lawmakers this week that the U.S. military “plans to escalate operations if necessary” while also retaining the option of scaling back deployments.The Pentagon has prepared a variety of military scenarios, including an intensified bombing campaign targeting Iranian military and infrastructure sites, the report said.Another option is reportedly to deploy U.S. special operations forces to protect highly enriched uranium believed to be stored deep underground at Iran’s Isfahan nuclear facility.According to the New York Times, hundreds of special operations personnel were deployed to the Middle East earlier this year to prepare for such emergencies. However, officials acknowledged that any ground operation would carry a “significant risk of casualties” and would require thousands of support troops.At the same time, Iran said it was ready to resume hostilities. “Our armed forces are ready to respond appropriately to any aggression,” said Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf.
The Strait of Hormuz remains the center of attention
The Strait of Hormuz remains at the center of the crisis, with Iran refusing to fully reopen the main oil shipping route and the United States maintaining a blockade.After talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Trump said both Washington and Beijing agreed the strait must be reopened.“We don’t want them to have nuclear weapons, we want the straits open,” Trump said in Beijing.Trump said his patience with Iran had “run out” and warned Tehran to “make a deal.”However, China has not publicly stated that it will directly pressure Iran.Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said Tehran remains open to diplomacy but no longer trusts Washington after air strikes followed previous talks.
There remains a large military presence in the area
More than 50,000 U.S. troops, two aircraft carriers, several destroyers and multiple fighter jets remain stationed in the area.U.S. Gen. Dan Kaine said military officials “reserved and continue to maintain a range of options for our civilian leaders,” the report said.Despite weeks of attacks, U.S. intelligence assessments indicate Iran has restored access to most of its missile launch facilities and underground military infrastructure.The report also states that Tehran has regained operational access to 30 of the 33 missile bases along the Strait of Hormuz.Oil prices continued to rise amid fears of escalating tensions. Brent crude rose about 3% to nearly $109 a barrel, while concerns about prolonged disruptions to Gulf shipping routes pushed U.S. Treasury yields to their highest levels in about a year.
