President Donald Trump told Axios yesterday that he’s seriously considering restarting major combat operations in Iran—including strikes that would be bigger than the ones carried out during Operation Epic Fury. “I am considering a massive attack. Bigger than ever before. I am close to making a decision. We are all set for it,” He said. Trump said Israel “would join in two minutes if I ask them to,” but added that “we don’t need anybody” to launch a new operation against Iran. He also said there would be “consequences” for Israel joining the strikes, hinting at Iranian retaliation against Israel. “They haven’t received enough pain yet,” he said.
Two regional sources with knowledge of mediation efforts blamed the leadership of Iran which, they claimed, hasn’t accepted the latest proposal put forward. “We are trying, but the Iranians are not being helpful,” one of them said. Nothing about the contents of this supposed “deal” is reported, however, nor is the fact that the U.S. has bombed Iran three times during negotiations, the third time after an agreement was signed.
In what may be a related development, The Wall Street Journal reported late on July 22 that the US is surging forces, medics and weaponry to the Middle East to give President Trump “more muscular military options” as he considers expanding the war against Iran, citing the usual “people familiar with the matter.”
In the past week, special-operations forces have deployed to the region from their U.S. bases, according to flight-tracking data and U.S. officials, the WSJ continues. “Squadrons of jet fighters have been staged across the Middle East, and bomber aircraft at bases in the U.S. and U.K. are on high alert to ramp up operations, according to one of the officials,” it says. “Additionally, more than 150 medics have arrived at the Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany in recent days, another official said. The hospital is the primary location for treating troops injured in combat in the Middle East.
“The U.S. in recent days has deployed cargo flights from U.S. bases that house special-operations forces to the Middle East, the officials said. Long-range bombers are also preparing for major combat operations, according to some of the officials. That includes B-1 bombers currently staged in the U.K. The military also has sent aerial tankers, F-16 jet fighters from Spangdahlem Air Base in Germany and F-35s from the air base at Lakenheath, England, to the region, the Journal previously reported. Jordan and Israel are widely seen as the likely hosts for these aircraft.”
