Report: US, Israel preparing for resumptions of strikes against Iran

The United States and Israel are engaged in intense preparations — the largest since the cease-fire took effect — for the possible resumption of attacks against Iran as early as next week, the New York Times reported Saturday citing two Middle East officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Meanwhile, the Israeli Mako News reported Israeli official sources as saying that U.S. President Donald Trump is expected to convene his closest team of advisors in the next 24 hours to make a final decision on the Iran matter. Israel estimates that a decision on military action may be made very soon, the report added. 

According to NYT, should Trump decide to resume military strikes, options include more aggressive raids targeting Iranian military and infrastructure targets, U.S. officials said.

Another option citied by the unnamed sources would put Special Operations troops on the ground to go after nuclear material buried deep underground, they said. Several hundred Special Operations forces arrived in the region in March in a deployment meant to offer the U.S. that option, the officials said.