US preparing ‘knockout punch’ against Iran

“They better get serious soon, before it is too late, because once that happens, there is no turning back, and it won’t be pretty,” Trump warned.

By World Israel News Staff

The Pentagon is developing military options for a possible “final blow” against Iran that could include a massive bombing campaign and even the use of ground forces, according to U.S. officials cited in reports by Axios. The plans are being prepared in case negotiations fail and the war enters a decisive phase.

The potential military options reportedly include large-scale strikes on Iranian military and strategic infrastructure and possible operations targeting key strategic sites, including islands tied to Iran’s oil exports and control of the Strait of Hormuz.

The military planning comes as the United States continues to build up forces in the Middle East, giving President Donald Trump a wider range of military options if diplomacy collapses.

On Wednesday, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt warned that Trump is prepared to escalate dramatically if negotiations fail. “President Trump does not bluff, and he is prepared to unleash hell,” she said, warning Tehran not to miscalculate.

Trump reinforced that message Thursday morning in a post on Truth Social, writing that Iranian negotiators are “begging” for a deal after being “militarily obliterated,” and warned they “better get serious soon, before it is too late, because once that happens, there is no turning back, and it won’t be pretty.”

Meanwhile, CNN reported earlier this week that Iran has reinforced defenses and deployed additional forces to Kharg Island, the strategic island that handles roughly 90 percent of Iran’s crude oil exports, as the United States weighs a possible operation to seize the site.

U.S. officials and military analysts have warned that any attempt to seize the island would carry significant risks, including the possibility of heavy casualties due to layered Iranian defenses. However, control of the island would give the United States major leverage over Iran’s economy and oil exports.

The combination of military buildup, strike planning, and pressure on Iran’s economic lifelines suggests Washington is preparing options for a decisive phase of the war if negotiations fail, potentially aimed at delivering a devastating knockout blow to Iran’s military and economic infrastructure.