Will the Trump-Netanyahu summit decide the timing of the "knockout blow" to Iran?

Informed American diplomatic and military sources revealed that the administration of US President Donald Trump is working on formulating what it describes as the "operational discourse" it intends to present to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during their upcoming meeting in Washington, in the event of agreement to launch a joint military operation against Iran, with the primary goal being to undermine the influence of the Revolutionary Guard and remove it from the sphere of influence in Iranian decision-making.

The sources said to "Erem News" that the American plan does not focus, in its first phase, on nuclear facilities, but targets the military capabilities of the Revolutionary Guard, including air and naval forces, ballistic missile systems, drones, and air defenses, with the aim of paralyzing its operational capabilities within a period not exceeding ten days.

It added that Washington believes neutralizing the Revolutionary Guard will give it a political and military advantage to push Tehran towards accepting its terms, whether regarding the nuclear program, the security of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, or other regional files.

Three levels of military action

According to the sources, a joint operations room comprising American military and intelligence officials continues its meetings periodically, and has concluded by preparing three main levels for any potential military action against Iran, which are constantly being updated before being submitted to the political leaderships in Washington and Tel Aviv.

The first level is based on targeting the military structure of the Revolutionary Guard, including its land, sea, and air bases, rocket launch platforms, drone units, and command and control centers.

As for the second level, it focuses on strategic infrastructure, including energy facilities, transportation networks, oil depots, and industrial facilities that represent logistical and economic pillars of the Iranian state.

In contrast, the third level, related to targeting Iranian nuclear facilities, remains an exclusive decision by the US President, according to the sources, who confirmed that this option is subject to more complex political and military calculations.

Washington wants to lead the decision

A US diplomat familiar with the relations between Washington and Tel Aviv confirmed that Trump's approval of holding the summit with Netanyahu came after intensive communications and political pressures, aimed at unifying the vision between the two sides, with the White House insisting that the political and military leadership of the potential operation remain in the hands of the United States.

The source explained to "Erem News" that intensive meetings were held over the past two weeks between officials from the Pentagon, the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), the Israeli Ministry of Defense, and the "Mossad", to finalize the distribution of roles, limits of responsibilities, target bank, and mechanisms for managing any joint confrontation.

He added that most logistical and military aspects are ready, while current discussions focus on the timing, scale, and starting targets of the operation, with Washington keen to ensure that Israel does not exceed the operational framework set by the US administration.

Concerns over Iran's response

For his part, a former official in the US Department of Defense said that the biggest challenge facing Trump is how to manage joint operations with Israel, taking into account the possibilities of an Iranian response through its allies in the region, foremost among them the Houthis and Hezbollah.

He explained to "Erem News" that the US administration is studying the distribution of operational sectors between American and Israeli forces, both in terms of geographical scope and type of targets, with ongoing assessment of Israel's ability to contain any reactions that might affect the course of operations.