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President Donald Trump isn't exactly leaving Tehran guessing about America's military capabilities. Following a phone conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Trump made clear that the United States could eliminate what remains of Iran's nuclear program in a remarkably short amount of time. Apparently, the Pentagon has been keeping a few options on the shelf.
"There are 'one or two sites' left that need to be dealt with, including Pickaxe Mountain. We can do it in ten minutes. We have a plan for it, and we can execute it very quickly," the president said Sunday.
Trump also addressed the possibility of reaching another agreement with the Iranian regime, although his assessment of Tehran's negotiating habits wasn't exactly flattering.
"They want to reach an agreement, and we will see what happens. Things are moving along fine, but they are not really reliable. They reach an agreement and then back out. They want to reach an agreement, and we will see if they actually sign it."
Hours before those remarks, Trump spoke by phone with Netanyahu as the United States prepares to potentially resume strikes on Iran, according to a report in the Wall Street Journal.
The conversation followed discussions between Trump and senior military officials about options for resuming military operations. Those discussions included a meeting with CENTCOM commander Admiral Brad Cooper, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Caine.
U.S. and Israel Prepare for Possible Strikes, But Timing Remains Uncertain
The Pentagon has reportedly spent recent weeks reinforcing air defenses, ammunition supplies, and other military equipment throughout the Middle East. At the same time, American forces have been repositioned away from bases considered vulnerable to an Iranian retaliatory attack.
The political calendar adds another complication. Trump is entering the final stretch of the campaign ahead of Tuesday's November 3 congressional midterm elections.
The war with Iran and rising fuel prices have become political liabilities for Republicans, and the president is working to strengthen his party's position before voters head to the polls.
Consequently, Washington has reportedly been pushing back the timetable for renewed military action. Tehran, meanwhile, appears quite content to drag out negotiations while the American political calendar works in its favor.
Defense officials reportedly believe the White House is unlikely to authorize an operation against the Islamic regime before Election Day unless intelligence reveals preparations for a surprise Iranian attack.
Israel's defense establishment has likewise remained deliberately vague about preparations for a possible escalation. Washington has continued offering Tehran another opportunity to return to negotiations, even as American and Israeli forces prepare for the alternative.
There are good reasons to doubt that diplomacy will produce much. Iranian officials are confronting an economic crisis that continues to worsen, but defense officials assess that the regime is unlikely to accept an agreement requiring it to completely abandon its nuclear program. Tehran is even less likely to agree to halt production of ballistic missiles, which now pose a threat to Europe as well.
American Military Reinforcements Arrive in Israel
Last week, ten U.S. Air Force transport aircraft arrived at Israeli Air Force bases in southern Israel as part of a larger military air convoy moving equipment throughout the Middle East, according to KAN News.
The aircraft originated at Fort Bliss in Texas and were reportedly carrying air defense systems intended to protect American and allied assets amid warnings of a possible "short, focused war with Iran."
Other aircraft in the convoy landed in Jordan, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia. The arrivals followed an earlier report that Washington had transferred another Patriot missile defense system to the region in anticipation of a possible escalation.
An Israeli source told KAN that American and Israeli officials are coordinating closely on Iran. Reports also indicate that another U.S. aircraft carrier could join American forces in the region, accompanied by an additional Marine unit.
The military preparations aren't entirely one-sided. Two weeks ago, dozens of Israeli Air Force fighter jets flew "as far as the Iranian border" before turning around and returning to Israel during a practice sortie, according to an Axios report citing American and Israeli officials.
Tehran Says It's Ready for Negotiations. And War.
While Tehran continues to send diplomatic signals, it has also been busy issuing threats.
According to an announcement published in Tehran, Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei ordered military commanders to prepare for an immediate and powerful response, without geographical limits, should the United States or Israel launch another attack.
Iranian Chief of Staff General Ali Abdollahi warned that his country has expanded its list of potential targets and that another American strike would trigger a broad response. He also insisted that Iran would determine when any new war ends.
That is quite a negotiating position for a government whose economy is in serious trouble and whose nuclear facilities have already been targeted.
The Trump administration, for its part, continues to maintain that diplomacy remains preferable to military action. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Sunday that if Trump had wanted to launch another military operation, he could have done so weeks or months ago. He also emphasized that the United States has all the capabilities necessary to carry out a successful strike.
For now, diplomacy and military preparations are proceeding simultaneously. Trump's conversation with Netanyahu underscores the close coordination between Washington and Jerusalem, while the military buildup makes clear that the diplomatic option isn't the only one on the table.
The big question is whether Tehran is finally prepared to make a deal or whether it is simply buying time until after the American elections.
Trump has already made one thing clear: If the negotiations go nowhere, the United States knows exactly what it intends to do, and apparently doesn't expect the operation to take very long.
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