By Phil Stewart and Idrees Ali
WASHINGTON, Feb 13 (Reuters) – The United States military is preparing for the possibility of sustained operations for weeks against Iran if President Donald Trump orders an attack, two American officials told Reuters, in what could become a much more serious conflict than previously seen between the countries.
The disclosure by the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the planning, raises the stakes for the ongoing diplomacy between the United States and Iran.
US and Iranian diplomats held talks in Oman last week in an effort to revive diplomacy over Tehran’s nuclear programme, after Trump built up military forces in the region, raising fears of new military action.
US officials said on Friday that the Pentagon was sending an additional aircraft carrier to the Middle East, adding thousands more troops along with fighter jets, guided-missile destroyers and other firepower capable of attacking and defending against them.
Trump, speaking to US troops on Friday at a base in North Carolina, said it was “difficult to make a deal” with Iran.
“Sometimes you have to have fear. That’s the only thing that’s really going to take care of the situation,” Trump said.
Asked for comment on preparations for a potentially sustained US military operation, White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly said: “President Trump has all options on the table with regard to Iran.”
“He listens to a variety of perspectives on any given issue, but makes the final decision based on what is best for our country and national security,” Kelly said.
The Pentagon declined to comment.
The United States sent two aircraft carriers to the region last year, when it carried out strikes against Iranian nuclear sites.
However, June’s “Midnight Hammer” operation was essentially a one-off attack by the United States, with stealth bombs flying from the United States to hit Iranian nuclear facilities. Iran launched a very limited retaliatory attack on a US base in Qatar.
THE RISKS ARE INCREASED
The planning going on this time is more complex, the officials said.
In a sustained campaign, the US military could hit Iranian state and security facilities, not just nuclear infrastructure, one of the officials said. The official declined to provide specific details.
The experts said that the risks for the American forces would be much greater in such an operation against Iran, which boasts a formidable arsenal of missiles. Iranian retaliatory strikes also increase the risk of regional conflict.
The same official said the United States fully expected Iran to retaliate, leading to back-and-forth strikes and retaliation over a period of time.
The White House and the Pentagon did not respond to questions about the risks of retaliation or regional conflict.
Trump has repeatedly threatened to bomb Iran over its nuclear and ballistic programs and crush domestic dissent. On Thursday, he warned the alternative to a diplomatic solution would “be very traumatic, very traumatic.”
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards warned that in case of strikes on Iranian territory, they could retaliate against any US military base.
The United States maintains bases throughout the Middle East, including in Jordan, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Turkey.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with Trump for talks in Washington on Wednesday, saying that if a deal is reached with Iran, “it must include the elements that are vital to Israel.”
Iran has said it is willing to discuss curbing its nuclear program in exchange for the lifting of sanctions, but has ruled out linking the issue to missiles.
(Reporting by Phil Stewart and Idrees Ali; Editing by Don Durfee and Rosalba O’Brien)