Report: US prepares major Iran strike plans

The Pentagon has drawn up plans for a renewed large-scale military offensive against Iran, including potential strikes on missile installations, drone facilities and energy infrastructure, The New York Times reported Thursday, citing US officials. The preparations come as the American military moves toward deploying three aircraft carriers to the Middle East, marking one of its largest concentrations of naval forces in the region in years. According to the report, President Donald Trump has instructed military planners to develop additional options for attacking Iran, despite repeatedly declining to authorize major operations in recent months. Trump's national security advisers and Pentagon officials have presented him with five proposals for significant military action against Iran or the Iran-backed Houthi movement in Yemen. The president rejected each of them. Nevertheless, preparations for another possible offensive are underway. Senior national security officials, led by Vice President JD Vance, discussed the latest proposals during a meeting at Camp David last Friday. The plans envision a concentrated military campaign lasting approximately three days, according to people familiar with the discussions. Potential targets include Iran's missile and drone stockpiles, much of which the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has rebuilt since the beginning of the war. Iranian energy installations, Revolutionary Guard command centers and military headquarters could also be targeted. Axios previously reported details of the latest military planning. The preparations are proceeding alongside diplomatic efforts to resolve the conflict. US officials have endorsed Trump's assessment that negotiations conducted through intermediaries have produced some progress, although fundamental disagreements remain over Iran's nuclear program. Washington wants an agreement addressing Tehran's nuclear ambitions before resolving other disputes. Iranian negotiators, however, have insisted that nuclear discussions should take place only at the final stage of negotiations. American officials have also expressed concern that Iran has become a more formidable military opponent as the conflict has continued. According to the report, improvements in Iranian tactics have forced US forces to expend more interceptors against incoming missiles than earlier in the war, placing additional pressure on American ammunition reserves. Intelligence assessments also indicate that Iran has improved its ability to target US military bases using satellite imagery supplied by Chinese companies. Iranian attacks on commercial shipping have continued despite the absence of a major American military response. Since the last significant exchange of retaliatory strikes in September, Iran has attacked at least 13 vessels, according to a monitoring organization operated by the British Navy. US intelligence assessments place the figure closer to 20, according to people briefed on the findings. The New York Times report was published hours after Trump announced that the United States would not launch attacks against Iran before the November 3 midterm elections. “We are having productive discussions with the Islamic Republic of Iran," Trump wrote on Truth Social. The president said Tehran was facing serious economic and military difficulties but emphasized that Washington would maintain pressure on the Iranian government. He added that the US blockade of Iran would remain fully in effect, while oil tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz continued at exceptionally high levels. Despite Trump's announcement, American military commanders remain prepared to begin a larger offensive within days should the president reverse his decision, according to The New York Times . The report emphasized that the military preparations do not necessarily mean Trump will authorize another offensive, even after the elections. Senior American officials remain concerned that renewed fighting could further strain US defensive weapons stockpiles, potentially weakening the military's ability to protect its bases in the Middle East and intercept additional Iranian attacks.