The commander of United States Central Command, Brad Cooper, spoke of a “short, fast and clean” operation in Iran, as multi-day military exercises were launched. The command said the drills aim to demonstrate the ability to deploy, distribute, and sustain combat air capabilities across the entire area of responsibility of the United States Central Command.
Israel’s Channel 14 quoted Cooper as making the remarks during a meeting with Israeli Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir. Cooper reportedly said that Washington’s strategic logic is based on a “short, fast and clean operation”. He added that full readiness in the Iranian theatre requires time, but stressed that the United States remains prepared at all times for any limited action.
The channel attributed to the American military official comments calling for a change of regime in Iran, stating that any attack, should it occur, would target those who harmed protesters, in his words.
The Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation had earlier quoted the Israeli Chief of Staff as saying that the timing of a United States attack on Iran had not yet been determined, noting that “the matter depends on a decision by Donald Trump”.
It also cited an informed source confirming that Cooper and Zamir discussed defence coordination between the two sides if the United States launches an attack on Iran, which could lead to the firing of ballistic missiles towards Israel.
For its part, Israel’s Channel 12 quoted the commander of Israel’s Northern Command as saying that Tel Aviv does not know where matters are heading regarding Iran. He added, “We see the buildup of American forces in the Gulf, and we are preparing for the possibility that Washington may decide to launch an attack.”
Pressure from the United States and its ally Israel on Tehran has intensified since the outbreak of popular protests in Iran in late December, driven by deteriorating economic and living conditions.
Iran has warned that any hostile move against it would be met with a wide-ranging response targeting American bases in the region, amid an expanding United States military build-up in the Middle East and growing fears of an open confrontation.
Military Build Up and Exercises
Associated Press reported, citing a United States Navy official, that the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln and three accompanying destroyers had arrived in the Indian Ocean after departing the South China Sea, and were heading towards the Arabian Sea.
The official added that the aircraft carrier would join destroyers already stationed in the Gulf.
In the same context, the United States Air Forces Central Command announced in a statement that it is conducting multi-day exercises aimed at “enhancing the ability to distribute assets and personnel, strengthening regional partnerships, and preparing to execute a flexible response across the Central Command area”.
The statement explained that United States forces “will deploy teams to multiple contingency locations and will carry out all activities with the approval of host nations and in close coordination with civil and military aviation authorities, with a focus on safety, precision, and respect for sovereignty”.
The commander of Air Forces Central Command, Derek France, said the exercise “strengthens peace through strength via responsible deployment designed to deter aggression, reduce the risk of miscalculation, and reassure partners”.
United States Central Command bases and units are spread across several countries in a region extending from the Middle East to Central Asia and South Asia, tasked with carrying out military interventions, training missions, and joint exercises.
