While some would like Operation Epic Fury to end, the same can’t be said for Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
A report in The New York Times on Tuesday morning indicated the crown prince has been “pushing” President Donald Trump to keep the war against Iran going.
The crown prince told Trump Iran’s regime “poses a long-term threat to the Gulf” and must be eliminated during multiple conversations last week, according to multiple American officials who spoke to The Times.
“Trump has at times seemed open to winding down the war, but Prince Mohammed has argued that would be a mistake, the people briefed on the conversations said, and has pressed for attacks against Iran’s energy infrastructure to weaken the government in Tehran,” the report said.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said she “does not comment on the president’s private conversations.”
Part of the report follows:
“In recent days, Mr. Trump has given more serious consideration to a military operation to seize Kharg Island, the hub of Iran’s oil infrastructure. Such an operation, with airborne Army forces or an amphibious assault by Marines, would be immensely dangerous,” per the report.
“But Prince Mohammed has advocated ground operations in his conversations with Mr. Trump, according to people briefed by American officials.”
The report comes as Trump has indicate the war could be over soon.
Trump has said the war is ahead of the timeline he set and he is now negotiating with what’s left of Iran’s leadership on a deal.
He gave Iran a 48-hour deadline on Saturday to “FULLY OPEN” the Strait of Hormuz and threatened to start bombing the country’s power plants.
On Monday morning he said his administration had “VERY GOOD” talks with Iran’s regime about ending the strikes and extended the deadline to five days.
