Mixed signals from the United States are adding to uncertainty over the direction of the Iran conflict, even as Donald Trump is set to receive a high-level military briefing on potential next steps.
Earlier, Trump had said blockade is better than bombing.
The commander of United States Central Command, Adm. Brad Cooper, will brief Trump on Thursday on new plans for possible military action in Iran, according to an Axios report citing two sources.
The briefing suggests Trump is weighing a return to major combat operations, either to break the current deadlock in negotiations or to deliver a decisive blow before ending the war, the report said.
CENTCOM has drawn up a plan for a “short and powerful” wave of strikes on Iran, likely targeting key infrastructure, with the aim of forcing Tehran back to the negotiating table with greater flexibility on its nuclear programme, sources familiar with the matter said.
The hope would be that Iran would then return to the negotiating table showing more flexibility on the nuclear issue.
Another plan expected to be shared with Trump is focused on taking over part of the Strait of Hormuz to reopen it to commercial shipping. Such an operation could include ground forces, one source said.
Another option that has been discussed in the past and might come up in the briefing is a special forces operation to secure Iran's stockpile of highly enriched uranium.
Trump told Axios on Wednesday that he saw the naval blockade on Iran as "somewhat more effective than the bombing."
Two sources told Axios that Trump currently sees the blockade as his primary source of leverage, but he would consider military action if Iran still won't cave.
US military planners are also considering the possibility Iran will take military action against US forces in the region in retaliation for the blockade.
Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen Dan Caine is also expected to attend Thursday's briefing, the sources said.
Cooper gave Trump a similar briefing on Feb 26, two days before the US and Israel launched the war against Iran.
Earlier, in a statement highlighting the impact of current measures, Cooper said US forces had “achieved a significant milestone” by redirecting the 42nd commercial vessel attempting to violate the blockade. He said 41 tankers carrying about 69 million barrels of oil — worth an estimated $6 billion — were currently unable to reach market, adding that “the blockade is highly effective and US forces remain fully committed to total enforcement.”
