Illustrative image. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Samuel Ruiz)
United States President Donald Trump is slated to receive a briefing on new plans for potential military action against Iran on April 30 from the leader of the Central Command (CENTCOM), Adm. Brad Cooper, Axios reported.
Three sources with knowledge of the matter told the news website that CENTCOM has drawn up plans for a “short and powerful” series of strikes on Iranian targets, with the aim of pressuring Iran to give ground in talks.
One of the sources revealed that other options being readied include a takeover of parts of the Strait of Hormuz and dispatching special forces to snag Iran’s highly enriched uranium stockpile.
Iran has kept navigations through the strategic waterway — a choke point for 20 percent of global oil and liquified natural gas — restricted since the start of the American-Israeli war, and the U.S. responded amid the current ceasefire by imposing a blockade on the ports of the Islamic Republic.
CENTCOM currently has two aircraft carriers, the USS George H.W. Bush and the USS Abraham Lincoln, in the Arabian Sea, in addition to the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit. A second marine unit, the 11th, is expected to arrive there shortly.
A third carrier, the USS Gerald R. Ford, is present in the Red Sea, but will reportedly depart very soon after a lengthy deployment.
While Axios report indicates that CENTCOM is preparing unilateral plans, another report from the Wall Street Journal revealed that the U.S. is asking other countries to join a new international coalition that would enable ships to navigate the Strait of Hormuz.
The proposed coalition, dubbed the “Maritime Freedom Construct,” would share information, coordinate diplomatically and help enforce sanctions, the Journal reported, citing an internal State Department cable.
“Your participation will strengthen our collective ability to restore freedom of navigation and protect the global economy,” the cable sent to U.S. embassies reportedly reads. “Collective action is essential to demonstrate unified resolve and impose meaningful costs on Iranian obstruction of transit through the Strait.”
According to the report, the cable says that American diplomats should ask their foreign interlocutors whether their countries want to be a “diplomatic and/or military partner,” and that the mission will be run jointly by the State Department and CENTCOM.
“The MFC would be complementary to other security maritime task forces, including the maritime planning effort the U.K. and France are leading,” the cable also reportedly says.
Diplomatic efforts led by Pakistan are yet to see any real progress, and despite recent reports suggesting that Trump is in favor of a lengthy blockade, the U.S. military is clearly gearing up to resume the war against Iran, even with more than than before.
Ultimately, a lengthy blockade won’t be in favor of the U.S. as it will push up energy prices. Thus, the Trump administration could resume the war soon.
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if iran put the “nuclear dust” on some missiles they could send the “dust” to trump, so many possible options.
already know trump will approves any military actions to please its master in isreal. hes just seeking to to sacrifice us soldiers blood for isreal. these united states of america need general with backbone to stand up and stop being puppets for foreign government and they cooperate business.
bomb diplomacy donny you and your gang are losers