Israel Readies for Iran Round 2 as US Weighs Strike Options: Report
(MENAFN) Israel has finished preparing for renewed military confrontation with Iran, and the head of US Central Command, Brad Cooper, has given President Donald Trump options for resuming attacks, an Israeli daily reported Saturday.
The paper said the Israeli military has finalized its defensive and offensive preparations for a possible return to hostilities. The decision to go back to war, however, rests with Trump while talks between Washington and Tehran continue.
Citing unnamed political sources, the daily reported that Israel is heading toward another round of fighting with Iran. Israeli political and military leaders do not control the decision to launch it, the sources said. It depends on whether Trump pursues a deal with Tehran or resumes strikes in coordination with Israel.
The preparations have moved well beyond planning, according to the report. The Israeli air force has flown multiple sorties involving dozens of fighter jets and refueling aircraft through Syrian and Iraqi airspace toward Iran’s borders, rehearsing potential attack routes. The exercises have taken place more than once, the newspaper said.
Cooper laid out the military options for Trump at a meeting attended by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Dan Caine, the Israeli daily reported. It added that no decision has been made on resuming combat.
Citing media reports, the paper said 10 US military transport aircraft have landed at Israeli air bases in recent days as part of an airlift of military equipment to the region. The deliveries coincided with continued US force reinforcements and preparations for a possible resumption of operations.
The sources identified a central dilemma: Washington has no clear strategic objectives for a potential operation. They said air strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities, missile systems and military capabilities would not necessarily topple its government or change its policies.
They suggested Washington could use military threats to pressure Tehran into accepting an agreement on terms more favorable to the US. They also argued that any deal failing to address Israeli concerns about Iran’s nuclear program, missile systems and armament would leave the threats Israel says it faces unresolved.
The sources further warned that fighting could spread to Lebanon if Hezbollah joins the confrontation, as it did before. That could prolong the war and strain Israel’s air defenses and interceptor missile stocks, they said.
Alongside the military buildup, the newspaper cited reports of progress in indirect US-Iranian contacts mediated by Qatar, intended to pave the way for direct negotiations. The talks would cover Iran’s nuclear program, the Strait of Hormuz and economic incentives for Tehran, with China and Russia potentially acting as guarantors, according to the report.
The daily concluded that Israel’s central challenge goes beyond preparing another attack. It must also ensure that any military action serves its long-term security interests, with clearly defined objectives, conditions for ending hostilities and intended outcomes.
The war began with US and Israeli attacks on Iran on Feb. 28, before a ceasefire was reached in April. Fighting between Washington and Tehran resumed in July amid stalled negotiations.
The paper said the Israeli military has finalized its defensive and offensive preparations for a possible return to hostilities. The decision to go back to war, however, rests with Trump while talks between Washington and Tehran continue.
Citing unnamed political sources, the daily reported that Israel is heading toward another round of fighting with Iran. Israeli political and military leaders do not control the decision to launch it, the sources said. It depends on whether Trump pursues a deal with Tehran or resumes strikes in coordination with Israel.
The preparations have moved well beyond planning, according to the report. The Israeli air force has flown multiple sorties involving dozens of fighter jets and refueling aircraft through Syrian and Iraqi airspace toward Iran’s borders, rehearsing potential attack routes. The exercises have taken place more than once, the newspaper said.
Cooper laid out the military options for Trump at a meeting attended by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Dan Caine, the Israeli daily reported. It added that no decision has been made on resuming combat.
Citing media reports, the paper said 10 US military transport aircraft have landed at Israeli air bases in recent days as part of an airlift of military equipment to the region. The deliveries coincided with continued US force reinforcements and preparations for a possible resumption of operations.
The sources identified a central dilemma: Washington has no clear strategic objectives for a potential operation. They said air strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities, missile systems and military capabilities would not necessarily topple its government or change its policies.
They suggested Washington could use military threats to pressure Tehran into accepting an agreement on terms more favorable to the US. They also argued that any deal failing to address Israeli concerns about Iran’s nuclear program, missile systems and armament would leave the threats Israel says it faces unresolved.
The sources further warned that fighting could spread to Lebanon if Hezbollah joins the confrontation, as it did before. That could prolong the war and strain Israel’s air defenses and interceptor missile stocks, they said.
Alongside the military buildup, the newspaper cited reports of progress in indirect US-Iranian contacts mediated by Qatar, intended to pave the way for direct negotiations. The talks would cover Iran’s nuclear program, the Strait of Hormuz and economic incentives for Tehran, with China and Russia potentially acting as guarantors, according to the report.
The daily concluded that Israel’s central challenge goes beyond preparing another attack. It must also ensure that any military action serves its long-term security interests, with clearly defined objectives, conditions for ending hostilities and intended outcomes.
The war began with US and Israeli attacks on Iran on Feb. 28, before a ceasefire was reached in April. Fighting between Washington and Tehran resumed in July amid stalled negotiations.
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