"U.S. holds preliminary talks on options to strike Iran"…Could a large-scale air campaign be on the table?

WSJ cites U.S. government officials

"U.S. government discusses options for airstrikes on Iran"

Another official: "No agreement on military action"

The U.S. government is reportedly reviewing options for an attack on Iran, including the possibility of large-scale airstrikes. U.S. President Donald Trump has recently suggested that he could intervene militarily to prevent a bloody crackdown on anti-government protests in Iran.

The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported on the 10th (local time), citing government officials, that the U.S. government has been holding preliminary discussions on plans to strike Iran in case it is forced to carry out President Trump’s threats.

According to one official, the options discussed include a large-scale air campaign targeting Iranian military sites.

Another official, however, stressed that there is still no agreement within the U.S. government on what military action to take. The official also denied that military equipment or personnel have moved in preparation for an attack.

U.S. government officials said the discussions about striking Iran are part of routine contingency planning, adding that there are no signs yet that an attack on Iran is imminent.

In a post on his social media platform Truth Social, Trump said, "Iran may be looking for freedom more than ever before. The United States is ready to help."

At a White House event the previous day, Trump also mentioned the possibility of using military force, saying that if the Iranian government "starts killing" people taking part in protests, the United States would intervene and "hit Iran very hard where it hurts."

In Iran, anti-government protests sparked by economic hardship have continued for a second week. Casualties are said to be rising sharply as the government carries out a hardline crackdown.

The U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) claimed that as of the 9th, a total of 65 people had been killed, including 50 protesters.

Reporter Kim Dae-young, Hankyung.com kdy@hankyung.com