US readies 'final blow' on Iran, Pentagon drafts scenarios — Axios
Photo: Trump considers options for a military strike on Iran (Wikimedia)
The United States could launch a large-scale strike on Iran — involving ground forces and bombing — if diplomatic negotiations reach a dead end. No decision has been made yet, but preparations are already underway, according to Axios.
What the Pentagon is planning
The US Department of Defense is working through several options for a so-called “final blow” — a decisive military action intended to end hostilities. These include both ground operations and large-scale airstrikes.
Escalation becomes more likely if negotiations fail to produce results. This is especially true if the Strait of Hormuz — through which a significant share of global oil transit passes — remains blocked.
Four key options
Sources describe the following scenarios:
Kharg Island — the main hub of Iran’s oil exports. The US is considering an invasion or blockade.
Larak Island — a strategic outpost at the entrance to the Strait of Hormuz. It hosts Iranian bunkers, strike vessels, and radar systems.
Abu Musa Island and two smaller islands near the strait — controlled by Iran but claimed by the UAE.
Tanker seizures — intercepting vessels transporting Iranian oil from the eastern side of the Strait of Hormuz.
The nuclear issue
US military planners have also developed scenarios for a ground operation inside Iran to secure stockpiles of highly enriched uranium at nuclear facilities.
As an alternative, massive airstrikes on these sites are being considered to cut Iran off from access to such materials.
What Trump has decided
No final decision has been made by Donald Trump. White House officials describe any ground operation options as “hypothetical.”
However, sources say that if negotiations fail to deliver tangible results soon, Trump is prepared to escalate.
A first step could be strikes on Iran’s power plants and energy infrastructure. In response, Tehran has threatened large-scale actions across the Persian Gulf.
Iran also has leverage over how events unfold. Many of the scenarios currently under discussion in Washington risk not ending the conflict, but instead prolonging and deepening it.
As a reminder, Iran is nearing completion of a draft law that would introduce fees for providing security to ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz.
We also reported on why a war with Iran has become an unexpected disaster for President Trump, straining relations with allies and hurting his approval ratings.
