Washington, DC: Is the US planning another strike on Iran? While the country’s Central Command (CENTCOM) has briefed president Donald Trump on its plan for potential military action, reports claim that the US has shipped over 6,000 tonnes of military supplies to Israel.
The 45-minute briefing by CENTCOM was also attended by the chairperson of the joint chiefs. With munitions and other equipment being sent to Israel, speculation is rife that Trump might be planning to resume major combat operations in Iran to end the stalemate.
The Israel Times and The Jerusalem Post, cited the Israeli Defence Ministry and reported that two cargo ships and several planes carrying 6,500 tonnes (6,500,000 kilograms) of air and ground munitions, military trucks, Joint Light Tactical Vehicles (JLTVs), and additional military equipment from the United States arrived in the country this week.
This movement was reportedly led by the Israeli ministry’s Defence Procurement Directorate, in coordination with its International Shipping Division, its mission to the US, and the IDF Planning Directorate.
“Since the launch of Operation Roaring Lion, Israel has received more than 115,600 tonnes of military equipment in 403 airlifts and 10 sealifts,’ the ministry said in a statement, as reported by NDTV.
Meanwhile, sources have told Axios that CENTCO
M has prepared new plans for a military action against Iran. One plan CENTCOM is considering is launching a “short and powerful” wave of strikes on Iran, likely including infrastructure targets, in hopes that it will push the Islamic regime in Tehran to the negotiation table. With bombs raining, the Islamic Republic would likely show more flexibility on the nuclear issue while negotiating peace terms, the US military believes.
A second plan that CENTCOM shared with Trump is focused on taking over part of the Strait of Hormuz, to reopen it to commercial shipping. Such an operation may involve ground forces though, the report says. While the US president sees the US blockade of Iranian ports as his primary source of leverage against Tehran, sources said he might consider military action if Iran still won’t cave.
A special forces operation to secure Iran’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium is a third option. Trump has cited Iran’s nuclear programme as an imminent threat and said it was one of the main reasons behind starting the Middle East conflict.
Even Iranian president Masoud Pezeshkian has warned that the US might attack Tehran again during negotiations. Trust in Washington has been “completely destroyed”, he said.
“Efforts to resolve differences through dialogue and diplomacy with Iran’s responsibility have always been on the agenda,” Pezeshkian said in a phone call with his Belarusian counterpart Alexander Lukashenko.
“But during the negotiations, the United States and the Zionist regime (Israel) attacked Iran twice, and there is a possibility of such actions being repeated, which has led to Iran’s complete distrust of the United States,” Pezeshkian said in his comments carried by the state-run Press TV.