Report: Trump's Advisors Present Israel as "Bait" to Ignite a Major U.S.-Iranian Confrontation

SadaNews - The American website Politico reported, citing informed U.S. officials about ongoing discussions regarding the Iranian file, that senior advisors to President Donald Trump prefer that Israel take the initiative to attack Iran before the United States carries out an attack on it.

According to the two officials - who preferred to remain anonymous - Trump administration officials say in private sessions that an Israeli attack would provoke a response from Iran, which would help garner support from American voters for a U.S. strike against Iran.

The site comments that under this scenario, a larger number of Americans would likely accept U.S. military intervention in Iran if the United States or one of its allies were attacked first.

The site added that Trump's advisors are considering the overall context of how military intervention in Iran would unfold, in addition to other justifications such as the Iranian nuclear program, especially in light of polls showing that Americans support regime change in Iran but are not willing to risk any American casualties to achieve that.

One insider on discussions regarding Iran mentioned, "There is thinking inside and around the administration that the political situation would be much better if the Israelis initiated an attack on their own, and the Iranians would respond, giving us greater impetus to act."

Regardless of Israel's desire to initiate, the more likely scenario is a joint U.S.-Israeli operation, according to the two sources.

White House spokesperson Anna Kelly declined to comment on the statements reported by Politico, saying, "Only President Trump knows what he may or may not do," and the Israeli embassy in Washington also refrained from commenting on what Politico reported.

Regarding the scope of a potential military operation against Iran, an insider mentioned that the U.S. is considering the risk of depleting its ammunition and the possibility of American casualties should the United States resort to the more aggressive option.

The United States is currently deploying thousands of soldiers to military bases across the Middle East. President Trump has ordered the deployment of two aircraft carriers and dozens of fighter jets, reconnaissance planes, and refueling aircraft, marking the largest buildup of U.S. forces in the region since the invasion of Iraq in 2003.

According to Politico, a senior American intelligence official reported that U.S. intelligence agencies are "concerned and monitoring" the possibility of Iran reacting against American targets in the Middle East and Europe.