US to attack Iran again? 'Short and powerful' wave of strikes may be in store

NEW DELHI: The US Central Command has prepared plans for a “short and powerful” wave of strikes on Iran, likely targeting key infrastructure, according to an Axios report, as President Donald Trump is set to be briefed on fresh military options on Thursday.The briefing, to be led by CENTCOM Commander Admiral Brad Cooper, signals that Trump is weighing the possibility of resuming major combat operations, either to break the deadlock in ongoing negotiations or to deliver a decisive blow before ending the conflict.Also read: Trump calls Hormuz blockade ‘genius’, says no deal without nukes; US-Iran talks now telephonicAccording to the report, CENTCOM has drawn up a plan for a “short and powerful” wave of strikes on Iran, aimed at pushing Tehran back to the negotiating table with greater flexibility on the nuclear issue. Another option expected to be presented involves taking control of parts of the Strait of Hormuz to reopen it to commercial shipping, potentially involving the deployment of ground forces.A further proposal under consideration includes a special forces operation to secure Iran’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium, the report said.Trump told Axios on Wednesday that he viewed the ongoing naval blockade against Iran as “somewhat more effective than the bombing.” Sources cited in the report said the US president currently sees the blockade as his primary leverage but remains open to military action if Iran does not yield.US military planners are also assessing the possibility of Iranian retaliation against American forces in the region in response to the blockade.Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Caine is also expected to attend the briefing, sources said. The White House did not respond to requests for comment.The development comes against the backdrop of a similar briefing delivered by Cooper on February 26, two days before the US and Israel launched military operations against Iran. One source close to Trump told Axios that the earlier briefing played a role in the decision to go to war.