00:00The U.S. military is preparing for the possibility of sustained, weeks-long operations against Iran
00:06if President Donald Trump orders an attack in what could become a far more serious conflict
00:12than previously seen between the countries.
00:15That's according to two U.S. officials who spoke on condition of anonymity
00:19due to the sensitive nature of the planning.
00:21The disclosure raises the stakes for the diplomacy underway between the United States and Iran.
00:27U.S. envoys Steve Wyckoff and Jared Kushner will hold negotiations with Iran on Tuesday in Geneva,
00:33with representatives from Oman acting as mediators.
00:37On Saturday, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Trump's preference was to reach a deal with Tehran,
00:42but said, quote, that's very hard to do.
00:45Meanwhile, Trump has amassed military forces in the region, raising fears of new military action.
00:51U.S. officials said on Friday the Pentagon was sending an additional aircraft carrier to the Middle East,
00:57adding thousands more troops along with firepower capable of waging attacks and defending against them.
01:04On Friday, Trump was asked if he'd want to see regime change in Iran.
01:08Well, it seems like that would be the best thing that could happen.
01:12For 47 years they've been talking and talking and talking.
01:15In the meantime, we've lost a lot of lives.
01:18Trump has long voiced skepticism about sending ground troops into Iran,
01:23and the kinds of U.S. firepower arrayed into the Middle East so far suggest options for strikes primarily by
01:29air and naval forces.
01:31Asked for comment on the preparations for a potentially sustained U.S. military operation,
01:36a White House spokesperson said, quote,
01:39President Trump has all options on the table with regard to Iran.
01:43The Pentagon declined to comment.
01:44In a sustained campaign, the U.S. military could hit Iranian state and security facilities,
01:51not just nuclear infrastructure, one of the officials said, who declined to provide specific details.
01:57Experts say the risks to U.S. forces would be far greater in such an operation against Iran,
02:02which boasts a formidable arsenal of missiles.
02:05Trump has repeatedly threatened to bomb Iran over its nuclear and ballistic missile programs,
02:11and crushing of internal dissent.
02:13Iran's Revolutionary Guard has warned that, in case of strikes on Iranian territory,
02:18it could retaliate against any U.S. military base.
Comments