U.S. preparing new Iran strikes as Trump says, "We've done an amazing job"

The United States and Israel are preparing for a possible new phase of attacks on Iran, with energy-related facilities emerging as the prospective focus. People familiar with the planning told CBS News that operations could begin at points over the weekend and could amount to the most severe air campaign against Iranian energy assets so far. The preparations came with no public indication that the wider confrontation was close to being resolved.

President Trump struck an upbeat note about the U.S. role, saying, “We’ve done an amazing job.” His assessment stood alongside signs that military and economic risks remained unsettled. The planning described to CBS News did not establish a final timetable, and it left open both the scale of any strikes and how long the next stage of the campaign might continue.

The contemplated target set matters because energy infrastructure is closely tied to Iran’s economy and to the country’s ability to move, process or export energy. An attack on those facilities could therefore carry effects beyond the immediate military objective. It would also represent a shift toward targets whose damage may be felt in commercial activity and energy markets as well as on the battlefield.

Israeli officials have been informed of the U.S. preparations and are working in coordination with Washington, according to the reporting. That cooperation points to a jointly managed military effort rather than two entirely separate operations. It does not, however, answer key questions about which country would carry out particular missions, what sites would be selected, or whether plans could change before aircraft or other forces are deployed.

Officials and others involved in the discussions have considered whether the campaign could be brought to a close before financial markets begin trading on Monday. The reason under discussion was concern that sustained bombing could unsettle the American economy and markets around the world. But the idea was only part of the deliberations, not an agreed deadline, and no firm conclusion date had been set.

That uncertainty puts the Strait of Hormuz at the center of the immediate watch list. Iran said it had hit two ships in the waterway, a claim that underscored how the conflict’s consequences could reach commercial shipping. The report did not independently establish the claim. Even so, any threat to transit through the strait can heighten attention on cargo movements, maritime security and the possibility of broader economic disruption.

The juxtaposition of planned strikes on energy facilities and the reported ship incident illustrates the competing pressures facing the parties. Military planners may seek to intensify pressure on Iran, while political leaders must weigh the danger that fighting around strategically important energy and shipping routes could spread its costs much further. Iran’s assertion about the vessels is also a reminder that events at sea can rapidly influence decisions made far from the strait.

For now, the picture is defined more by preparations and claims than by a settled outcome. The sources who outlined the prospective U.S.-Israeli action indicated that it could occur during the weekend, but possibility is not confirmation that an operation will take place. The absence of an agreed stopping point likewise leaves room for the campaign to extend beyond the market-opening window that has been discussed.

What happens next will depend on whether the proposed attacks are authorized and executed, how Iran responds, and whether the situation around the Strait of Hormuz changes. The most immediate signals will be any confirmed movement against Iranian energy sites, further information about the two ships Iran said it struck, and evidence that economic concerns are altering the timing or scope of the military plans. Until then, Trump’s positive appraisal contrasts with a confrontation still carrying major unanswered questions.

Source: CBS World