Wall Street: Trump briefed on options for military strikes against Iran

The Wall Street Journal reported on Saturday, citing U.S. officials, that President Donald Trump has reviewed options prepared by the Pentagon for launching military strikes against Iran, including targeting Iranian nuclear facilities and islands controlled by Tehran. According to the newspaper, Trump is inclined to resume major military operations against Iran, but has not yet made a final decision. The newspaper quoted U.S. officials as saying that U.S. warships in the Middle East are preparing to carry out potential strikes against Iran within weeks, in anticipation of Trump’s decision to launch a new round of attacks. It noted that a team of its reporters conducted a rare visit to the U.S. aircraft carrier USS George Washington and a guided-missile destroyer operating in the Arabian Sea, where the team observed aerial operations and large-scale replenishment of ammunition and supplies. According to the report, the supplies included a large shipment of long-range missiles alongside bunker-buster bombs designed to target fortified positions. The newspaper quoted Captain Nicholas Delio, commander of the USS George Washington, as saying, “We are always ready,” adding that the forces continuously monitor developments in their vicinity and remain on high alert to respond to any changes or to take proactive action.