American officials told Fox News that if President Donald Trump orders a renewed broad military operation against Iran, the strikes would be significantly more extensive and powerful than current operations, and Israel is expected to participate. The US military buildup in the region is a preparatory step ahead of a final decision, the officials said, noting that the policy of avoiding strikes on Tehran and nuclear sites may change.
The latest statement from American officials, reported by Fox News on Tuesday morning, goes further than previous reports in describing the potential scope of a renewed offensive. According to the officials, if President Donald Trump orders a renewed broad military operation, the strikes would be 'vast and powerful' — far more extensive than ongoing operations — and Israel is likely to participate. The officials also noted that since July 7, Washington has avoided striking targets in Tehran or Iranian nuclear facilities, but that policy could change if a broad operation is ordered.
The thread of reports began early Tuesday (02:38 Jerusalem) with a senior American official telling Israel Hayom that Israel is expected to join if Trump expands the campaign. Within the same hour, Fox News reported that the transfer of refueling aircraft to Israeli bases was part of preparations for a wider campaign, and that the expanded campaign would be 'much more intense' than current operations. By 02:38, The Zioneer also reported that the US military had begun flowing additional fighter jets to the region and was preparing attack options. The source base has broadened from a single official to multiple senior officials across multiple news outlets.
As The Zioneer reported on July 15, Trump discussed expanding strikes to include Tehran and weighed using strategic bombers, though he ultimately held back from a full-scale war. On July 1, the Wall Street Journal reported that Trump reviewed a full-scale war option but decided against it for now, concerned it could harm diplomatic prospects.
No final decision has been announced, and the timeline for a potential decision remains unclear. The officials' statements indicate that the policy of avoiding strikes on Tehran and nuclear sites may be under review, but no operational change has been ordered.
5 developments
- StrongTrump leans toward expanding operations against Iran, ynet reports
- DevelopingTrump Discusses Expanding Iran Strikes to Tehran, Weighs Strategic Bomber Attack, US Official Says
- DevelopingTrump Examining How to Intensify Strikes on Iran, Source Tells i24NEWS
- StrongTrump says there will be more and bigger bombings in Iran tonight
Source and signal
- Internal intake