[The Public = Reporter Kim Young-il] U.S. officials are reportedly weighing a plan to strike Iranian forces deployed around the Strait of Hormuz if ceasefire talks with Iran collapse.
On April 23 (local time), CNN, citing multiple sources, reported the U.S. military is reviewing strike plans that would target Iranian maritime forces in the Strait of Hormuz, the southern Arabian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman if negotiations break down.
U.S. planners have identified Iranian fast-attack boats and mine-laying vessels—the assets Iran could use to blockade the strait—as primary targets.
CNN noted that U.S. airstrikes to date have largely focused on inland targets away from the strait. The new plan under review would shift to concentrated strikes focused on the waterways around the strait.
The intent appears to be to neutralize Iranian units blocking the Strait of Hormuz and reopen commercial navigation.
Officials are also reportedly considering strikes on infrastructure, including energy facilities, as leverage to push Iran back to the negotiating table.
Earlier, President Donald Trump intensified pressure ahead of a potential ceasefire, saying he would “bring down” all of Iran’s power plants and bridges.
The U.S. military is also weighing options to target individuals inside Iran’s military and government who are seen as obstructing talks with the United States.
Sources say the plan would include targeting IRGC commander Ahmad Vahidi. Vahidi is reported to have direct access to Mojtaba Khamenei—who has not appeared publicly since the start of the war—and U.S. officials view him as a significant impediment to negotiations.
The U.S. military has also identified missiles and launchers that Iran repositioned during the ceasefire as potential targets. Despite earlier U.S. strikes, roughly half of Iran’s missile launchers and thousands of drones are believed to remain intact.
Overall, the U.S. military has presented President Trump with a range of options to strike Iranian forces.
「Image = Yonhap News Agency」
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