US President Donald Trump is likely preparing to strike Iran very soon, Western and Israeli media reported this morning, BTA writes.
The massive buildup of US military power in the Middle East suggests that Washington is ready to begin a “protracted” bombing campaign against Iran within weeks or even days if Tehran continues to refuse to meet Trump's demands in ongoing negotiations, the American newspaper “New York Post“ writes.
With a second aircraft carrier heading to the region and hundreds of fighter, support and other aircraft already deployed nearby, the sheer scale of the forces in the area is highly unusual and unprecedented in recent decades, former Pentagon official and Atlantic Council fellow Alex Plitzas told the publication.
“What amazes us is the unprecedented size of the combination of attack aircraft, command, control and naval platforms“, he said. "We haven't seen such a buildup in this region in decades," he added to the New York Post.
The Israeli newspaper "Haaretz" quoted a senior American military official as saying that the US president is ready to strike Iran this weekend. However, it is more likely that action will be taken early next week, the publication said.
According to him, Trump has not yet made a final decision. "Haaretz" however, he added that over the next three days, the Pentagon will transfer some of its personnel from the Middle East region to Europe or back to the United States ahead of potential actions or counterattacks by Iran.
The United States has amassed the largest air power in the Middle East since the invasion of Iraq in 2003, notes the “Wall Street Journal“.
However, it is still unclear whether the US president will order strikes against Iran and, if he does, whether his goal will be to stop Tehran's already crippled nuclear program, destroy its missile program or try to overthrow its regime, the American newspaper writes.
Trump has received several reports on military options if he decides to strike, all with the aim of causing maximum damage to the regime in Iran and its regional puppet groups, the “Wall Street” was told Journal“ American officials.
The options include a campaign to eliminate a number of Iranian political and military leaders with the aim of overthrowing the government, American and foreign officials added. Air strikes are also possible, which would be limited to the country's nuclear and missile program sites, the American newspaper added. Both operations would likely last weeks.
The publication added that Trump has made it clear that he prefers a diplomatic solution if the United States gets everything it wants - closing Iran's nuclear program, disarming regional puppet movements and halting its ballistic missile program. Tehran seems reluctant to agree to the latter demand, since it does not have a large air force and relies on its missiles as its main deterrent.
The newspaper “New York Times“ points out that in recent weeks the US has massed a large force near Iran, which Trump calls an "armada". It includes the aircraft carrier "Abraham Lincoln" and three warships equipped with "Tomahawk" missiles, which were used in the strikes on two of Iran's nuclear facilities in June last year. The warships are also equipped with air defense systems.
The F-35 stealth fighters and F/A-18 attack aircraft on the aircraft carrier are capable of striking dozens of targets in Iran if Trump orders them to be launched.
The second aircraft carrier traveling to the area to reinforce firepower is the most powerful American aircraft carrier – “Gerald R. Ford“, which is accompanied by three destroyers.
Yesterday they were on their way to the Strait of Gibraltar. On January 3, the aircraft of the aircraft carrier “Ford“ were used in the attack on Venezuela, in which President Nicolas Maduro was captured and forcibly taken to the United States, recalls “The New York Times“.
A military confrontation between the United States and Iran may be inevitable, writes “The Times of Israel“. It seems that it will begin in the coming days, will be intense and will last for weeks, this publication also indicates.
“Last week I took the liberty of flying to the Munich Security Conference. I will think twice about traveling (abroad) this weekend“, former IDF (Israel Defense Forces) military intelligence chief Amos Yadlin told Israel's Channel 12, quoted by the publication.
“We are much closer than we were before, but I remind you - a superpower does not go to war in a few days. There is a diplomatic path that must be exhausted,” said Yadlin, who currently heads a national security consulting firm.
According to the publication “Axios“ The probability of strikes in the coming weeks is 90 percent.
A joint US-Israeli operation will likely be carried out again, a White House source told the publication, and it will be larger than Israel's 12-day air campaign in June last year.
US President Donald Trump is "starting to get angry", an adviser to him told Axios. "Some people around him are warning him not to start a war with Iran, but I think there is a 90 percent chance that we will see action in the next few weeks", he added.