The range of reasons include the possibility of Iran seeking to block the Strait of Hormuz, potentially upending the global flow of oil, and Iran potentially choosing to race toward developing a nuclear weapon after any US strike, two sources familiar with the discussions said. Kurilla, a staunch supporter of Israel, has for months been pushing Hegseth and Trump to move a growing number of military assets into the Middle East in preparation for a conflict with the potential to metastasize – either between the US and Iran’s proxies, including the Houthi rebel group in Yemen, or between Israel and Iran. The risk of retaliation from Iran is strong enough that even before Trump makes a decision, the US military began making contingency preparations that account for the possibility of Iranian retaliation against US forces if Trump does move forward with a strike, according to a source familiar with the planning.
Author: Alayna Treene
Published at: 2025-06-18 22:24:01
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