Axios: The Pentagon Prepares for the 'Final Strike' on Iran

SadaNews - The Pentagon is preparing military options to deliver a "final strike" against Iran, which may include the use of ground forces and a large-scale bombing campaign, according to two American officials and two sources familiar with the matter who spoke to Axios.

These moves gain particular significance as the prospects of a major military escalation will increase if no progress is made in diplomatic talks, especially if the Strait of Hormuz remains closed.

Some American officials believe that demonstrating overwhelming force to end the fighting may grant Washington greater leverage in peace negotiations, or at least provide President Donald Trump with a basis to declare victory.

However, Iran also plays a role in determining how the war ends, as many proposed scenarios pose risks of prolonging and escalating the fighting rather than decisively and quickly ending it.

In a related context, the U.S. military has also prepared plans for ground operations deep within Iranian territory to secure the highly enriched uranium buried within nuclear facilities.

Instead of executing such a complex and risky operation, the United States could opt to conduct extensive airstrikes on those facilities in an attempt to prevent Iran from accessing these materials in the future.

Nonetheless, Trump has not yet made a decision, and White House officials have described any potential ground operations as "hypothetical."

However, sources say he is prepared to escalate if talks with Iran do not yield tangible results soon.

White House spokeswoman Caroline Levitt warned Iran on Wednesday that Trump is ready to launch strikes "more severe than ever before" if an agreement cannot be reached.

Levitt stated, "The President does not make empty threats, and he is prepared to unleash hell. Iran should not miscalculate again... Any violence after this point will be due to the Iranian regime’s refusal to reach an agreement."

Meanwhile, further military reinforcements, including several squadrons of fighter jets and thousands of soldiers, are expected to arrive in the Middle East in the coming days and weeks.

An expeditionary unit from the Marine Corps is scheduled to arrive this week, while another unit is currently being deployed.

Additionally, orders were issued for elements of the 82nd Airborne Division to deploy in the Middle East, accompanied by an infantry brigade consisting of several thousand troops.

In contrast, Iranian officials have stated that they do not trust Trump’s negotiating efforts, viewing them merely as a ruse to prepare for surprise attacks.