Click to see full-size image. (U.S. Central Command)
Israel is coordinating with the United States as escalating tensions in the Strait of Hormuz have put the Iran ceasefire at risk, CNN reported on May 5, citing an Israeli source.
A day earlier the ceasefire witnessed its first major escalation, with the U.S. striking at least seven Iranian small boats as a part of an operation meant to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, and the Islamic Republic responded by targeting the United Arab Emirates and three nearby vessels.
One day into the U.S. operation, dubbed “Project Freedom,” Iranian restrictions on the strategic waterway — a choke point for around 20 percent of global oil and liquefied natural gas — remain very much in place.
The Israeli source who spoke to CNN revealed that the coordination with the U.S. includes preparation for a potential new round of strikes on Iran.
According to the source, the strikes would focus on energy infrastructure and the targeted killing of senior Iranian officials. Most of these plans were largely prepared and ready for execution on the eve of the ceasefire in early-April.
“The intention would be to carry out a short campaign aimed at pressuring Iran into further concessions in negotiations,” the source told CNN.
Nevertheless, the source emphasized that any decision to resume hostilities ultimately rests with the U.S. President Donald Trump.
CNN noted that Trump has grown frustrated at the deadlock in negotiations and the inability to open the Strait of Hormuz, but he has also signaled that he does not want to resume a full-scale conflict with Iran.
Israel has been skeptical from the outset about the prospects of negotiations between Iran and the United States, the official said.
Over the past week, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been holding consultations in limited, tightly-controlled security forums, according to another Israeli source familiar with the matter. Netanyahu also instructed government ministers not to comment publicly on Iran.
In earlier remarks, Trump seemed less hesitant about resuming the war. During an interview with conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt, he indicated that if he decides to return to war against Iran, it would take 2-3 weeks to achieve his goals in the war.
“We’ve taken out much of what we’d have to do, probably another two weeks, two weeks, maybe three weeks,” Trump said.
“We either make the right deal, or we win very easily from the military standpoint,” he added.
He also stressed that “these lunatics will not have a nuclear weapon,” noting that taking Iran’s stockpile of highly-enriched uranium must be part of any deal.
All in all, everything suggests that the U.S. and Israel are preparing to resume war on Iran. The two countries may have already made the decision, and are waiting for a suitable moment.
Targeting Iranian leaders will likely have no impact, as evident by the previous round of fighting which saw most of the Islamic Republic’s senior officials getting assassinated. In addition, Iran is guaranteed to respond in kind to any attack on its energy facilities, which will likely cause a serious global energy crisis.
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trump is just america’s carnival barker for the zionists who have pretty much already looted out the americans. with old fashioned weapons and a population not taking the bait it is time to give up on greater israel or else malania will have to go back to her old job and the male escorts will quit commenting about lindsey grahm’s ass.