US President Donald Trump is reviewing a military proposal for an intensive 10- to 14-day aerial bombardment against Iran following attacks that killed four American service members, the Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday, Anadolu reports.
“Trump is in an escalatory mood,” a senior administration official said about the deliberations, though the US president continues to contemplate the “depth of that response.” The plan, presented by Adm. Brad Cooper, head of the US military’s Central Command (CENTCOM), aims to utilize a “go big” strategy to cripple Tehran’s missile and drone capabilities.
Cooper argued that Washington must increase its air attacks to “significantly blunt” the Iranian threat and break the stalemate. He maintains that destroying Tehran’s offensive infrastructure would eventually reduce the need for the US to rely on defensive munitions.
READ: CENTCOM chief advised halt of Iran strikes due to ‘exhausted’ targets: Report
The proposal follows a reported assessment by Cooper that initial bombing targets were “mostly exhausted,” implying that only a sharp escalation into full-scale combat would achieve further strategic results.
