New attack on Iran in preparation: Trump meets with senior US military officials

dpa | According to media reports, US President Donald Trump received advice on how to proceed in the Iran war at a rare personal meeting with a high-ranking military chief. The Wall Street Journal writes, citing US officials, that the head of the US Regional Command for the Middle East (Centcom), Admiral Brad Cooper, presented Trump with military options in Iran on Thursday in the White House, among other things. The US newspaper interpreted this as a possible sign that a significant deployment of US military forces could be imminent.

The news portal Axios also reports, based on US officials, that Cooper's briefing for the president focused on the US naval blockade of Iranian ports and coastal areas. Trump wanted to find out personally from the Centcom boss whether the blockade was working.

Cooper also updated Trump on the operation in the Strait of Hormuz. The US Navy has been accompanying civilian ships through the strait for months to enable trade in oil and liquid gas again. According to the report, the conversation also discussed the US economic pressure campaign against Iran.

Both US media outlets unanimously report that Chief of Staff Dan Caine, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and other cabinet members also took part in the meeting.

There has long been speculation about possible new attacks by the USA and Israel against Iran after the US general elections, which will take place next Tuesday. However, US media recently reported that Trump's government and regional mediators had made new efforts to find a diplomatic solution to the conflict with Iran, in which US Vice President J. D. Vance was playing a leading role.

The situation in the Strait of Hormuz has long been considered one of the central points of contention between Washington and Tehran. Iranian forces have intensified their attacks on ships in the strait, which is central to global oil trade, in recent weeks.

Tehran wants to put pressure on Trump before the congressional elections with rising energy prices, which are not well received by its voters. The Iran war that he started himself and the subsequent rise in fuel prices are an issue that is putting considerable strain on Trump's Republican colleagues in the current election campaign.