Report: US military has strike plans ready for Iran
The US military has prepared multiple options for renewed strikes against Iran that could be carried out following the November 3 midterm elections, The Hill reported Saturday, citing sources familiar with the planning. According to one source, US Central Command (CENTCOM), which oversees American military operations in the Middle East, has developed plans for additional attacks that could be implemented if President Donald Trump authorizes them. A second source confirmed that CENTCOM has prepared several potential operations for consideration by Secretary of War Pete Hegseth. The source emphasized that Trump intends to preserve his freedom of action and will not rule out any option before making a final decision. Asked about the reported preparations, a Pentagon official told The Hill that the Defense Department's “job is to develop and present military options to the President." “We don’t speculate on hypothetical situations or future operations," the official added. CENTCOM did not respond to the publication's request for comment. The report comes days after Hegseth traveled to Israel , where he visited American troops in the Middle East and met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday. The meeting had not been announced in advance, and Hegseth subsequently confirmed that it had taken place without disclosing the subjects discussed. Speaking to reporters in Wisconsin on Tuesday, Hegseth highlighted the longstanding military cooperation between Washington and Jerusalem, particularly in efforts to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons. “We’ve worked with the Israeli military quite a bit. That’s nothing new. We have for a long time. They have great capabilities, and we appreciate their contributions to assuring Iran never gets a nuclear weapon," Hegseth said, describing Israel as “good partners." Saturday's report follows an article published Thursday by The Atlantic , which indicated that Trump was considering another military campaign against the Islamic Republic shortly after the American congressional elections. Officials familiar with those discussions said the potential operation could involve several days of attacks targeting Iran's nuclear facilities, missile and drone capabilities, and energy infrastructure. The possibility of an even earlier American strike was raised Friday by Tom Barrack, the US Ambassador to Turkey and Trump's special envoy for Syria and Iraq. Speaking with Lebanese-Australian entrepreneur and podcaster Mario Nawfal, Barrack suggested that military action could take place as soon as the weekend, while emphasizing that the administration remained open to a negotiated agreement. “Could there be a strike this weekend? Absolutely. The president has been clear, I’m giving you American policy, the president is very clear: he’s open, and available and accessible to a deal. And we’ve been at the table for months and months and months," Barrack said. Trump was subsequently asked about the ambassador's comments during an exchange with reporters Friday. “[Barrack] is a pretty powerful man, I guess. If that’s the case, I don’t know anything about it," the President replied. Later that day, Trump again raised the possibility of military action while addressing supporters at a campaign rally in Florida. “We may do another little Operation Epic Fury, or they will agree. If they're smart, they will just say, ‘Let's get down to business.’ But I doubt they will do that because perhaps they're not smart. When The Hill requested comment from the White House regarding the reported military preparations, officials referred the publication to Trump's remarks to reporters on Friday.