US forces are prepared to launch a major attack against Iran "within 96 hours" of receiving the order from US President Donald Trump, two US officials told CNN on Sunday.While Trump has not made a final decision on whether to commit to major military action after the US midterms, officials said any attack that would be conducted would "be a big effort," going beyond prior US strikes against Iranian assets that can be quickly rebuilt, such as missile launchers and radars.One source briefed on the matter told CNN that Israel had been preparing for possibly striking Iran, as well as lobbying the US to participate in the strikes.However, US officials, including Trump, told Israel to hold off on attacking, likely until after the midterm elections.“The plans are ready, waiting for Trump's approval, could be after the midterms,” the source said.Iran, Houthis unlikely to preemptively strike, but ready for retaliationTwo other sources told CNN that both Iran and the Houthis were taking the possibility of renewed US attacks very seriously, according to US intelligence.Any attack launched by the US - or Israel - would trigger immediate retaliation against US personnel and facilities in the Middle East, the sources added, which is one of the reasons the US is expected to withdraw more personnel from its embassies in the region.However, one source familiar with US intelligence assessments said that officials believe that both Iran and the Houthis were unlikely to preemptively strike US or Israeli infrastructure at this stage.
The White House declined to comment, while a senior Pentagon official told CNN that “The Department is a planning organization, and its job is to develop and execute military options ordered by the President.”
Left out here: Leaves out what changes the picture
The article says the planned attack would go beyond strikes on missile launchers and radars, but it never says the US target list reportedly includes Iran's energy infrastructure as well as military sites and nuclear facilities. Without it a reader takes the planned campaign to be against military assets only.
The Jerusalem Post relays CNN's report that US forces could strike Iran within 96 hours of Trump's order. It says Trump told Israel to hold off likely until after the US midterms, but never says that Netanyahu pushed for a joint strike before Israel's own election, a detail other outlets carried from the same CNN report. It also leaves out that the reported target list includes Iran's energy infrastructure.
Leaves out what changes the picture
Minor
“told Israel to hold off on attacking, likely until after the midterm elections”
Why this matters
The words "likely until after the midterm elections" tie Washington's request to Israel to US domestic timing, in the outlet's own voice. The article never names Netanyahu or says what Israel wanted or when.
The impression it gives
A reader believes Israel was simply told to wait for the US midterms, and that Israel's push had nothing to do with its own politics.
The context
Other reports of the same CNN story say Netanyahu pushed for a joint strike before Israel's election on Tuesday and Trump refused. They say Washington asked Israel to wait until the two countries were ready for joint operations, partly after IOF chief Zamir warned that an attack could postpone the Knesset election. None of this appears in the article.
The article says the planned attack would go beyond strikes on missile launchers and radars, but it never says the US target list reportedly includes Iran's energy infrastructure as well as military sites and nuclear facilities. Without it a reader takes the planned campaign to be against military assets only.