Major Blow to Iran Awaits Trump: 96 Hours Separate Decision from Execution

"Plans are ready, targets are defined, and US forces are prepared." Is the United States approaching opening a new front with Iran?

According to Al Ain News' review of CNN, US forces in the Middle East may be "capable of initiating new military operations within 96 hours of receiving an order from President Donald Trump."

The network cited two American officials stating that "sufficient forces are currently deployed in the region to carry out potential attacks."

Broader Plans

However, this time, according to sources, the discussion is not limited to targeted strikes aimed at radars, missile launch platforms, and other Iranian assets that can be quickly restored. It extends to broader plans including energy facilities, military sites, and Iranian nuclear installations.

One official told the network, "It will be a major effort." This view was echoed by current and former US officials familiar with internal military planning discussions, some of whom indicate it is merely a matter of time before Trump issues an order to begin.

These officials believe the order "could come at any time before the end of the year, although most likely after the US Congressional midterm elections."

No official confirmation has been issued by the White House regarding this matter so far.

In contrast, Washington's calculations do not stop at the scale of the strike but extend to what might follow. US intelligence estimates suggest that Iran and the Houthis take the possibility of resumed attacks seriously, and that any US or Israeli strike could be met with retaliation targeting US forces and facilities in the region, and possibly outside it.

CNN previously reported that an unclassified memo dated October 23, addressed by Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, stated that US intelligence had concluded that "Iran significantly intensified its efforts to target American individuals," and that its plots "reached advanced stages in both the Middle East and several other countries."

What about Israel?
According to American and Israeli sources cited by CNN, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pressured for resuming attacks on Iran, but Washington requested postponing them until preparations were made for a joint operation.

Sources indicate that coordination between the two countries may move toward broader action following the US midterm elections.

An Israeli security source stated, "Netanyahu really wanted to convince Trump to launch a joint attack on Iran before the elections, but the US president did not give him the green light."

The source added that one reason for Trump's refusal was that Israeli Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir informed US General Dan Caine, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, that such an attack could harm elections in Israel and lead to their postponement.

A third source familiar with the matter told CNN that Israel had been preparing for the possibility of launching additional attacks against Iran during approximately the past week and was trying to rally support from US officials for these new strikes.

Sources say Israel may have postponed its plans for additional strikes in the near term, but conversely, it is preparing for potential joint operations with the United States, likely to occur after the US midterm elections.

According to the source, Israel's implicit agreement to postpone launching new strikes against Iran is partly due to its need for US support in missile defense, as Iran and Houthi militias are expected to retaliate against any attack.

In a speech delivered this week at an Israeli army graduation ceremony, Netanyahu stated that his directives to the army, the Mossad, and other security agencies aim to topple the regime in Iran.