U.S. President Donald Trump, upon returning from China, is considering the possibility of resuming military strikes against Iran, while his advisors and the Pentagon have already prepared plans for further escalation of the conflict. This was reported by The New York Times, according to UNN.
Details
According to the publication, Trump has not yet made a final decision regarding his next steps. At the same time, consultations are ongoing in the U.S., Israel, and other countries regarding a possible compromise that would allow Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz for shipping. Trump himself, after departing from Beijing, told reporters that Tehran's latest peace proposal is unacceptable.
Trump and Xi found common ground on Iran, agreed on the Strait of Hormuz - Rubio14.05.26, 16:49
"I looked at it, and if I don't like the first sentence, I just throw it out,"
According to NYT information, the Pentagon has already prepared options for resuming Operation "Epic Fury," which was suspended after the announcement of a truce in April. Among the possible scenarios are new massive strikes on Iran's military and infrastructure systems, as well as the use of special operations forces to search for Iranian nuclear materials at facilities, particularly in Isfahan.
U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth confirmed that Washington has an "escalation plan" if necessary. According to the publication, there are currently more than 50,000 American troops, two aircraft carriers, and dozens of combat aircraft and ships in the Middle East. Additionally, about 5,000 Marines and 2,000 paratroopers from the 82nd Airborne Division remain in the region.
American and Middle Eastern officials told the NYT that the U.S. and Israel have intensified preparations in recent days for a possible resumption of hostilities as early as next week. According to them, Iran is also preparing for a new phase of the conflict and has restored access to most of its missile sites and military facilities along the Strait of Hormuz.
US and Iran appear to postpone uranium talks - Bloomberg15.05.26, 20:59