American forces are prepared to carry out a major attack on Iran within 96 hours of getting an order from President Donald Trump, two US officials told CNN on Sunday. The disclosure points to a high state of readiness, even though a final political decision has not been taken.
According to the officials, Trump has not yet settled on whether to commit to large-scale military action after the US midterm elections. They said that if an attack does go ahead, it would "be a big effort." That would put it well beyond earlier US strikes on Iranian assets, such as missile launchers and radars, which can be rebuilt quickly.
One source briefed on the matter told CNN that Israel has been preparing for a possible strike on Iran and has also been lobbying Washington to take part. US officials, Trump among them, have reportedly told Israel to hold off, likely until the midterms have passed. "The plans are ready, waiting for Trump's approval, could be after the midterms," the source said.
Two other sources told CNN that, according to US intelligence, both Iran and the Houthis are treating the prospect of renewed US attacks very seriously. They said any strike launched by the United States or Israel would prompt immediate retaliation against American personnel and facilities across the Middle East.
That risk is one reason the United States is expected to pull additional personnel out of its embassies in the region, the sources added.
Even so, a source familiar with US intelligence assessments said officials believe Iran and the Houthis are unlikely to strike US or Israeli infrastructure preemptively at this stage. The expectation is that they are positioned to respond rather than to initiate.
The White House declined to comment on the reporting. A senior Pentagon official told CNN: "The Department is a planning organization, and its job is to develop and execute military options ordered by the President."