NYT: US And Israel May Resume Strikes On Iran Next Week
- 16.05.2026, 9:56
The Pentagon has prepared radical scenarios.
US President Donald Trump has returned from China and faces a key decision on Iran. His advisers have drawn up plans to resume military strikes if diplomacy finally reaches a stalemate. No decision has been made yet.
The NYT reports.
What the Pentagon is preparing
Operation Epic Fury, suspended after a truce was declared, could resume as early as next week - possibly under a new name.
"We have a plan to escalate if necessary," Defense Minister Pete Hegseth confirmed. At the same time, there is also a plan to withdraw more than 50,000 military personnel from the region.
Two Middle East officials said the United States and Israel are making the most intensive preparations since the truce - for a possible resumption of strikes as early as next week.
What options are on the table
A more aggressive airstrikes on Iranian military and civilian infrastructure are among the options under consideration. The second option is an operation by special forces to seize nuclear materials at the Isfahan facility.
Few hundred special forces fighters are already in the region to do just that. However, such an operation would require thousands of military cover and carries a significant risk of casualties.
The seizure of Kharg Island, a key hub for Iranian oil exports, is also being considered.
Iran has restored capabilities
Despite a month-long truce, Iran has regained access to 30 of 33 missile positions along the Strait of Hormuz. Most of the affected sites have been restored. The military acknowledges privately: "winning" will not be easy.
Situation in the region
About 5,000 Marines and 2,000 paratroopers from the 82nd Airborne Division are on the ground. Two aircraft carrier strike groups, more than a dozen destroyers and hundreds of aircraft are "ready to resume combat operations when ordered."
After returning from Beijing, Trump is considering easing sanctions against Chinese oil companies that buy Iranian crude.
During the summit, Beijing and Washington reached an agreement in principle that Iran should not obtain nuclear weapons under any circumstances.
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz meanwhile suggested that the operation against Iran could be resumed soon - he said not all objectives have been achieved yet.