Report: US braces for prolonged Iran escalation; no current push for Israeli involvement

The White House is preparing for the possibility of a prolonged escalation in its conflict with Iran, and US President Donald Trump is convening senior advisers and national security officials to discuss Washington’s next steps, Channel 12 reports, citing US officials.

A US official tells Channel 12 that the ongoing fighting could last anywhere between a couple of days and a month, depending on whether Iran continues attacking commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz.

“We’re going to slap them a bit so they understand we’re not fucking around,” the official says.

Trump is expected to meet with his national security team in the Oval Office shortly to discuss possible further action against Iran, according to the report, which adds that there is currently little appetite in Washington for Jerusalem to enter the fighting.

One option under consideration is reimposing a US naval blockade on Iranian ports — a step Trump has publicly floated — though no decision has been made, the report says, adding that many officials around the president believe such a move would be the right course of action. The US first imposed a blockade after Iran blocked the Strait of Hormuz following the launch of the war.

In the meantime, Israel is preparing for the possibility that the campaign could expand, including the possibility of Iran targeting Israeli bases from which American aircraft have operated, such as Nevatim and Ramon, Channel 12 adds, saying that there is ongoing coordination between the IDF and CENTCOM.