Pentagon Prepares Plans to Strike Iran’s Energy and Nuclear Facilities as Trump Says War Could End Soon

Washington, D.C (Terror Monitor) — The Pentagon has developed military plans for potential strikes against Iran’s energy infrastructure and nuclear facilities if President Donald Trump orders a resumption of US military operations, CNN reported on Thursday, citing American officials familiar with the planning.

The report comes as Trump has expressed anger over leaks of sensitive information about US military operations against Iran, warned that those responsible for disclosing classified information should be shot, and predicted that the war with Tehran would end “very soon.”

According to CNN, the Pentagon’s plans include potential attacks on Iranian energy infrastructure and nuclear installations. The plans could be implemented if Trump decides to restart military operations against Iran.

The report did not establish that the president had made a decision to resume the attacks. Instead, the preparations indicate that military options remain under consideration should Washington’s political leadership decide to escalate the conflict.

Reuters said it could not immediately independently verify CNN’s report.

Potential Use of America’s Largest Non-Nuclear Bomb

The potential use of the largest non-nuclear bomb in the US military’s arsenal could significantly escalate the conflict, according to the report.

However, officials familiar with the military planning told CNN that questions remain over whether deploying the weapon would effectively achieve Washington’s strategic objectives.

The reported preparations underscore the challenges facing US military planners as the administration weighs its options against Iran. While attacks on energy infrastructure could place additional pressure on Tehran, strikes against nuclear facilities could further intensify the confrontation and increase the risk of a broader regional conflict.

The Pentagon’s reported plans do not necessarily mean that the United States has decided to carry out such attacks. Their implementation would depend on Trump’s decision regarding the next phase of military operations.

Trump Calls for Shooting Those Responsible for Leaks

Separately, Trump called for people who leak information about US military operations to the media to be shot, making the remarks during an election rally in Arizona.

The president was reportedly angered by the disclosure of information to journalists by an unidentified source concerning the timing of US attacks on Iranian nuclear facilities.

“Leakers should be shot,” Trump said, adding that in “the old days,” people responsible for such disclosures would have been shot.

His comments highlighted the administration’s concerns about the disclosure of sensitive military information during the conflict with Iran.

Trump’s remarks also came amid renewed debate in the United States over capital punishment. The Pentagon is preparing to carry out a military execution for the first time in 65 years, according to the report provided.

The president did not identify the person responsible for the reported leak in his public remarks. Nor did he specify what legal action, if any, his administration intended to pursue against those responsible.

The comments nevertheless reflected his frustration over the disclosure of information that could reveal details of US military planning and operations.

Trump Predicts War With Iran Will End Soon

Despite the reported preparations for possible further strikes, Trump said on Wednesday night that the war with Iran would end “very soon,” expressing confidence that the conflict would not continue for much longer.

Speaking to reporters in Montana, the president suggested that Tehran also wanted the war to end.

“The war with Iran will end soon, very soon, because they also want it to end,” Trump said.

He also reiterated his position that Iran would never be permitted to acquire nuclear weapons and predicted a substantial decline in global oil prices once the conflict was over.

“They will never be able to have a nuclear weapon, and oil prices will fall like a rock,” Trump said.

His remarks offered an optimistic assessment of the conflict’s likely duration, although he did not provide a specific timeline for its conclusion or outline the conditions under which Washington would end its military campaign.

Trump Says US Operations Have Weakened Iran

Trump described Iran as a major military power that had previously been capable of intimidating other countries across the Middle East, but said US military operations had significantly weakened its capabilities.

“Iran was a force that intimidated others in the Middle East, but now it is not as powerful as it used to be,” he said.

The president’s comments suggested that Washington believes its military campaign has reduced Iran’s ability to project power and threaten regional adversaries.

However, his prediction that the war would end soon contrasts with the Pentagon’s reported preparation of additional strike options targeting critical Iranian infrastructure and nuclear facilities.

The developments leave open the possibility of competing approaches within the US strategy: diplomatic or political efforts to bring the conflict to an end, alongside continued military preparations should Trump decide that further action is necessary.

For now, CNN’s report indicates that the Pentagon is preparing options rather than confirming a decision to launch another round of attacks. Trump’s statements, meanwhile, signal that the administration is publicly projecting confidence in a near-term end to the war while maintaining the possibility of further military escalation.