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The US military is preparing for the possibility of a weeks-long operation against Iran, Reuters reports, citing official sources.
The officials spoke to Reuters on condition of anonymity and said a sustained operation was being planned if President Trump gave the order.
Reuters reports, “The planning under way this time is more complex, the officials said.
“In a sustained campaign, the U.S. military could hit Iranian state and security facilities, not just nuclear infrastructure, one of the officials said. The official declined to provide specific details.
“Experts say the risks to U.S. forces would be far greater in such an operation against Iran, which boasts a formidable arsenal of missiles. Retaliatory Iranian strikes also increase the risk of a regional conflict.
“The same official said the United States fully expected Iran to retaliate, leading to back-and-forth strikes and reprisals over time.”
On Friday, at an event at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, President Trump said regime change in Iran would be “the best thing that could happen.”
Although he declined to say who would take over Iran, he said “there are people.”
“For 47 years they’ve been talking and talking and talking,” he said.
White House spokeswoman 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.”
US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are due to meet with Iranian representatives in Geneva, Switzerland on Tuesday, with officials from Oman acting as mediators.
On Saturday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio cautioned that, while President Trump wants to reach a peace deal with Iran, “that’s very hard to do.”
Meanwhile, President Trump continues to increase the presence of US forces in the region. The USS Gerald Ford, an aircraft carrier, will join the USS Abraham Lincoln in the Middle East.
The Ford Strike Group played a central role in the seizure of Venezuelan President Nicholas Maduro at the beginning of January.
