In a stark escalation of tensions, the Pentagon is gearing up for a "sustained, weeks-long military campaign" against Iran, should President Trump authorize it, according to two U.S. officials cited in fresh Reuters reporting. This planning marks a significant departure from the limited 12-day war last June, when the U.S. and Israel conducted strikes on the Islamic Republic, potentially broadening the scope of any future conflict into uncharted territory.
Critics familiar with the protracted Iraq and Afghan wars caution that even a "weeks-long" operation against Iran carries the risk of devolving into a far lengthier and bloodier quagmire. The scenario under review envisions strikes extending beyond nuclear infrastructure to Iranian state and security facilities, one official told Reuters, though specifics were withheld.
The developments come amid renewed diplomatic efforts, as Washington and Tehran resumed indirect talks in Oman last week. Concurrently, Israel has intensified pressure on Iran to dismantle not only its nuclear program but also its ballistic missile arsenal—the same weapons Tehran deployed to strike back at Tel Aviv during the June conflict.
While some White House officials have floated the notion of "limited" strikes modeled after the swift Venezuela operation that ousted Nicolás Maduro, Pentagon planners are adopting a more sober assessment. They acknowledge that immediate Iranian retaliation would inevitably prolong the engagement, rendering it "more complex" than initially anticipated.
According to the Reuters account, the current planning is notably more intricate than previous exercises. "In a sustained campaign, the U.S. military could hit Iranian state and security facilities, not just nuclear infrastructure," one official explained, emphasizing the multifaceted nature of the preparations underway.
This preparation unfolds against a backdrop of heightened regional volatility, where the specter of a broader war looms large. As indirect negotiations persist in Oman, the Pentagon's contingency measures underscore the precarious balance between diplomacy and military readiness in confronting Iran's capabilities.
