In this photograph released by the U.S. Navy, military planes stand on the flight deck of the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt, July 4, 2024, in the South China Sea. (Seaman Ryan Holloway/U.S. Navy, via AP)
Three U.S. aircraft carrier strike groups are converging in the region, providing substantial military resources for potential operations.
By Vered Weiss, World Israel News
US Central Command (CENTCOM) has completed contingency plans for strikes against Iran that could begin as early as Wednesday evening, following the U.S. midterm elections, according to reports by The New York Times and The Jerusalem Post.
The preparations include a possible three-day military campaign targeting Iranian missile and drone capabilities, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) command centers and critical energy infrastructure. However, President Donald Trump has not authorized an attack, and the decision to proceed remains his alone.
American military planners have identified a limited period in early November when several operational factors would favor an operation.
Three U.S. aircraft carrier strike groups are converging in the region, providing substantial military resources for potential operations.
That concentration of forces is temporary, with one carrier expected to return to its home port after early November.
Weather-independent factors are also influencing the proposed timetable.
Military planners consider the moonless nights of early November particularly favorable for advanced American aircraft, offering advantages for operational visibility and safety.
Separately, Israeli intelligence officials have raised concerns that Iran is developing the capability to deliver chemical agents through missiles, drones or covert operations.
American officials disagree over the reliability of that intelligence and whether Iran would actually deploy chemical weapons against its adversaries.
The competing assessments have emerged alongside deliberations within the Trump administration over how to respond to Tehran.
Administration officials have debated maintaining economic pressure through sanctions or proceeding with direct military action.
Neither the completion of CENTCOM’s preparations nor the positioning of American forces constitutes a presidential decision to launch strikes.
The reported military plans nevertheless establish a specific operational window beginning immediately after the November 3 elections, when the combined carrier presence and nighttime conditions would favor a potential campaign.
Any decision to proceed with the proposed three-day operation, including strikes against Iranian military installations and energy facilities, would require Trump’s authorization.
Despite Tehran’s denials, Washington has continued to identify chemical weapons research as a potential concern.
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