Wall Street Journal: Trump Considering Airstrikes on Iran's Nuclear Facilities

The Wall Street Journal, citing several individuals close to the transition team of the U.S. President-elect, reports that Trump and his associates are examining options to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons, including preemptive airstrikes. According to the report, the military attack option against the Islamic Republic's nuclear facilities is currently under serious consideration by some members of Trump's transition team, who are assessing the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime in Syria, the future of U.S. forces in the country, and the status of Hezbollah and Hamas. Some officials from the transition team have also told the Wall Street Journal that the weakening of the Islamic Republic following heavy Israeli strikes on Iranian proxy militants in the region, and recent revelations about Tehran's growing nuclear activities, have sparked sensitive discussions in this regard, which are still in the early stages. Trump on the possibility of war with Iran: 'Anything is possible.' Two individuals close to the transition team told the Wall Street Journal that Trump, in recent calls with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, expressed concern over Iran's nuclear advancements, indicating he is seeking ways to prevent this from happening. According to the report, the U.S. President-elect intends to avoid the 'ignition' of a new war, especially one that could draw the U.S. military into conflict, as attacks on Tehran's nuclear facilities have the potential to bring the U.S. and the Islamic Republic into confrontation. The design of a 'maximum pressure' strategy includes military options as well. The Wall Street Journal writes that the President-elect's transition team is designing a 'maximum pressure' strategy against the Islamic Republic, continuing his first-term approach focused on tough economic sanctions. However, according to informed individuals about these plans, this time the President-elect and his aides are also drafting military actions that, in addition to heavy economic penalties, could be 'central' to the anti-Tehran campaign. They stated that if a military strategy against the Islamic Republic is adopted, the long-standing policy of containing Tehran through diplomacy and sanctions will collapse. Last week, Rafael Grossi, the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency, announced that Iran's capacity for enriching uranium to 60 percent is 'significantly' increasing. To produce nuclear weapons, uranium enriched to 90 percent purity is required, and technically, 60 percent enrichment is a short distance from that. Four individuals familiar with Trump's transition team's planning told the Wall Street Journal that one of the options under consideration is 'increasing military pressure by deploying more U.S. forces, warplanes, and ships to the Middle East,' alongside the potential sale of advanced weapons such as penetrating bombs to Israel and enhancing that country's offensive capabilities to destroy Iran's nuclear facilities. According to the report, the threat of military force, especially if coupled with U.S. sanctions that cripple Iran's economy, may convince Tehran that it has no choice but to resolve the ongoing crisis diplomatically. Iran accepted increased IAEA oversight at the Fordow nuclear facility. The second option in Trump's team’s plan is the threat of military force, combined with U.S. sanctions, to compel Tehran to accept a diplomatic solution, a strategy that was employed during Trump's first term regarding North Korea, although it ultimately failed. The newspaper writes that it is unclear which option Trump, who spoke during his election campaign about avoiding a third world war and making deals with Tehran, will choose. While he claims not to seek escalation of conflict in the Middle East, in an interview with Time published on Thursday, December 13, he did not rule out the possibility of the U.S. entering into war with Iran. When asked about the likelihood of a full-scale war with Iran, he told Time, 'Anything is possible. Anything is possible. The situation is very unstable.' Nothing is certain yet. Some officials in the incoming U.S. government have not fully articulated their position on dealing with Iran's nuclear activities, and proposals regarding Iran may change with the cabinet's inauguration, the availability of classified information, and discussions with regional allies like Israel. The Wall Street Journal writes that most importantly, according to former Trump administration officials, he typically does not delve into the details of foreign policy until final options are presented and necessary decisions are made. The newspaper reports that Iran's UN mission has not responded to requests for comment on this matter. The Israeli government also did not respond to requests for comment on the possibility of a preemptive strike against Iran during Trump's presidency. However, in November, after three calls with Trump, Netanyahu stated that he and the U.S. President-elect share a common view on the threat posed by Iran in all its dimensions and the dangers it presents. European powers have previously announced their readiness to implement the 'snapback mechanism' against the Islamic Republic. Former Trump administration officials had previously stated that he considered the idea of preemptive strikes on Iran's nuclear program in the late stages of his first term after international inspectors revealed that Iran's nuclear material stockpiles had increased, but Trump claimed after leaving the White House that he never seriously considered military action and that these plans were suggested by his senior defense advisors. According to the Wall Street Journal, Trump’s aides and advisors who support military options in his second term say their main idea is to 'support Israeli attacks on Iran's nuclear facilities' such as Natanz, Fordow, and Isfahan, and possibly 'participate in a joint operation.' Some of Trump's allies believe that the early months of his return to power present a rare opportunity to confront Iran's nuclear program, especially as the Islamic Republic is in a position of weakness. Meanwhile, Israel has also been considering attacking Iran's nuclear facilities for years, but the Wall Street Journal writes that in some cases, likely due to U.S. 'caution,' it has refrained from such actions; however, according to the report, this time discussions about Israel attacking Iran's nuclear facilities will be 'different.'