Plan in place to strike strategic Iran sites if deal not reached, sources tell 'Post'

Israel and the United States have finalized a comprehensive list of strategic targets to be struck in Iran should the Islamic Republic fail to meet the requirements of US President Donald Trump’s looming ultimatum, two sources confirmed to The Jerusalem Post.

Agreement on the target list follows a series of intensive high-level discussions aimed at synchronizing the American and Israeli responses to Tehran’s continued defiance. In addition to the finalized list of objectives, operational coordination between the US military and the IDF has been completed.

The final touches on the joint operational plan were made during a meeting last Thursday between the IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir and the leadership of US Central Command (CENTCOM); officials discussed and finalized the specific division of roles and mission objectives should the US president determine that the ultimatum has expired.

In a stark warning to the regime in Tehran, Trump stated in an interview with ABC NEWS: “Without a deal – it’s over for the state of Iran.”

Against the backdrop of these developments, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu convened the Security Cabinet on Sunday evening to brief ministers.

Netanyahu and Israeli defense officials have been lobbying the Trump administration to prioritize Iran’s energy sector and national infrastructure in any new strikes.

While there is a growing assessment in Jerusalem that the president will ultimately provide a “green light” for strikes on such high-value infrastructure, Israel is currently awaiting final authorization from the White House before any such operations are set in motion.

An Israeli official told the Post that the strategy behind targeting the energy sector is clear: “Striking energy targets will lead to the total economic collapse of Iran and result in a significant weakening of the terror regime’s grip on power.”