Washington — The United States and Israel are planning what would be one of the harshest bombing campaigns to date against energy infrastructure targets in Iran, multiple sources told CBS News, with strikes possible throughout the weekend.
There was some discussion about trying to conclude by the time financial markets open Monday because of concern about how the bombings will affect the U.S. and global economy, but an end point wasn’t locked in.
The Israelis have been notified and are coordinating with the United States, according to multiple U.S. sources. The president has yet to give the final ‘go’ orders for the strikes, the sources said.
A joint operation would mark Israel’s return to combat operations which it had halted during the U.S.-brokered truce. Iran has not hit Israel since the memorandum of understanding fell apart and the U.S. restarted combat operations in early July.
An Israeli official told CBS News: “Israel is unaware of a decision to restart full military operations, nor has been requested of Israel to join any military actions against Iran.”
The military strike plan came up during President Trump’s cabinet meeting at Camp David on Friday, according to sources briefed later. Some White House aides who focus on politics were strongly opposed, one of the sources said.
While reporters were in the room, Mr. Trump said: “We’ll be hitting them very hard. At some point, they’re going to say, ‘We just can’t take it anymore.'”
“I think we just want to win,” he told the press when asked about reviving diplomacy.
Energy infrastructure including power plants and refineries would likely be targeted, two of the sources said.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement to CBS News, “As President Trump said at his cabinet meeting today, the United States will win, and Iran will not have a nuclear weapon under his watch.”
Chief Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell said the Pentagon would not comment on targets before the president makes a final decision.
“The Department of War is locked and loaded, ready to execute the President’s directives at a moment’s notice,” Parnell said in a statement.
On Saturday, several U.S. embassies in the Middle East — including Amman, Jordan; Jerusalem; and Baghdad — issued security alerts due to “heightened tensions” and said, “Americans currently in the Middle East should exercise caution and heightened vigilance and should be prepared for flight cancellations, periodic airspace closures, and potential travel disruptions.”
A former U.S. military official told CBS that the value of hitting energy infrastructure would be to impact the Iranian military’s ability to provide services and effectively govern.
When Mr. Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met earlier this week, Netanyahu briefed him on three options for the war, including military strikes focused on land resupply routes, a senior Israeli official said. Netanyahu also met with Defense Secretary Hegseth.
The U.S. has already struck bridges in this conflict that were dual-use — used by the military and civilians — a U.S. official said.
There were high-level U.S. discussions Friday about cutting electricity across Tehran, but no decision had been made as of Friday afternoon.
Last week, Mr. Trump posted on Truth Social that he would bomb and destroy an Iranian bridge or power plant for every attack on a ship in the Strait of Hormuz.
