U.S. military officials are developing new plans to target Iran’s capabilities in the Strait of Hormuz if the ceasefire with Iran breaks down, according to multiple sources.
Among the several target type options under consideration are strikes with a particular focus on “dynamic targets” of Iranian capabilities around the Strait of Hormuz, the southern Arabian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman, the official said, describing possible strikes against small fast attack craft, minelayers and other asymmetric assets that have helped Iran effectively shut down these major waterways and use them as leverage against the United States.
The military has targeted the Iranian navy, but most of the bombing in the first month has focused on targets farther from the strait, allowing U.S. forces to strike deeper into Iran. The new plan calls for more concentrated bombing operations around strategic waterways.
CNN previously reported that most of the country’s coastal defense missiles remain intact. Iran also has a large number of small vessels that could be used as platforms to launch attacks on ships, complicating U.S. efforts to open the strait.
The US military may also follow through on President Trump’s previous threat to strike civilian-military facilities and infrastructure targets, including energy facilities, to force Iran to the negotiating table, officials told CNN.
Another option being developed by military planners is to individually target Iranian military leaders and other “obstructors” within the regime that U.S. officials have recently suggested are actively blocking negotiations, one of the sources said.
Learn more about the plan here.
