US Officials: Pentagon Preparing for Potential Aggression on Iran

By Staff, Agencies

The United States military is preparing for the possibility of sustained, weeks-long aggression against Iran if US President Donald Trump orders it, two US officials told Reuters, signaling the potential for a far more serious attack on Tehran.

The officials, speaking on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the planning, said preparations go beyond limited, one-off strikes and could evolve into a prolonged campaign depending on developments. The disclosure comes amid renewed diplomatic efforts between Washington and Tehran over Iran’s nuclear program.

US and Iranian diplomats held talks in Oman last week in an attempt to revive negotiations, even as Washington expanded its military presence in the region.

According to US officials, the Pentagon has deployed an additional aircraft carrier to West Asia, alongside thousands of troops, fighter aircraft, guided-missile destroyers, and other assets. Speaking to US troops at a base in North Carolina on Friday, Trump acknowledged alleged difficulties in reaching an agreement with Tehran.

“It has been difficult to make a deal,” Trump said, adding, “Sometimes you have to have fear.”

“That's the only thing that really will get the situation taken care of,” he stated.

When asked about preparations for a potentially sustained military operation, White House spokesperson Anna Kelly said, “President Trump has all options on the table with regard to Iran.”

“He listens to a variety of perspectives on any given issue, but makes the final decision based on what is best for our country and national security,” she said.

Last year, the United States deployed two aircraft carriers to the region and launched an aggression on Iranian nuclear sites. Iran responded at the time with a calculated retaliatory strike on a US base in Qatar.

Officials told Reuters that the current planning is more complex. In the event of a prolonged aggression, US forces could target Iranian state and security facilities in addition to nuclear infrastructure, according to one official who declined to provide further details.

Meanwhile, experts continue to warn that any large-scale confrontation with Iran would carry significant regional risks and put US troops in the region at risk. Tehran possesses an extensive missile arsenal and has repeatedly signaled that it would respond to attacks on its territory, whether the aggression is limited or sustained.

The remarks of US officials follow “Israeli” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's visit to the White House, where he said discussions with Trump focused “first and foremost about Iran”.

Netanyahu had previously expressed “general skepticism,” according to a statement issued by his office, stressing that any agreement between the US and Iran must include elements that are critically important to “Israel”, including Iran’s nuclear program, its ballistic missile program, and its ties to regional allies. These issues remain central to ongoing “Israeli”-Iran tensions, particularly as US officials signal interest in expanding the scope of talks beyond the nuclear file.