WASHINGTON (AP) – Pentagon plans to present a wide range of military options to President Donald Trump on Friday as he evaluates how to respond to what government officials say was an unprecedented Iranian attack on the oil industry During a meeting in the White House, the president will be presented with a list of possible targets of an airstrike in Iran, among other possible responses, and will also be warned that military action against the Islamic Republic could end at war, according to American officials familiar with talks they spoke on condition of anonymity.
The national security meeting could be the first opportunity to make a decision on how the United States should respond to the attack on a key ally in the Middle East. The decision could depend on the kind of evidence that the Us and Saudi investigators manage to offer to prove that the drone and cruise missile attack was launched by Iran, as several officials have claimed, including Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.Iran denied involvement and warned that any U.S. attack will provoke a “war to the death” with immediate retaliation by Tehran.Both Pompeo and Vice President Mike Pence rated the attack on the facility Saudi Arabia as an “act of war.” Pence said Trump will “analyze the facts and make a decision on the next steps to take. But Americans can trust that the United States of America will defend its interests in the region and support our allies.” The U.S. response could include military, political, and economic measures, and the military’s options could range from no action to bombing or less visible measures, such as cyberattacks. One likely move would be for the United States to offer additional military support to help Saudi Arabia defend itself from attacks in the north, as most of its defenses have focused on the threats of the Houthis in Yemen to the south.
