U.S. President Donald Trump is set to return to Washington from a trip to China and, upon arrival, is expected to hold a series of discussions focused on Iran. Even as diplomacy remains in view, American planners are preparing for the possibility that renewed fighting could erupt soon—an outcome that Israel’s security establishment is treating as a direct threat multiplier for the region and, potentially, for Lebanon as well. According to reporting carried by ynetnews, Israel has been updating a “target bank” in coordination with the United States while also weighing whether it might seek authorization for renewed strikes on targets in Beirut, if Washington moves to escalate.
The underlying strategic concern, as described by U.S. officials and reflected in the reporting, is that a renewed U.S.-led effort against Iranian interests could quickly trigger a wider regional conflict. Washington’s position, as characterized by the outlet, is that if Israel participates in strikes on Iran, Tehran would respond by firing missiles at Israel. That pattern would shorten the timeline to sustained, high-intensity fighting on multiple fronts and could lead to a prolonged period of hostilities—an escalation path the United States is not described as eager to see.
Within the U.S. and Israeli policy circles, the emphasis is therefore not only on whether military action might occur, but also on what the next steps could look like in practice. A separate report in ynetnews, citing officials who spoke to The New York Times, said Trump advisers have drafted plans for renewed strikes on Iran. Those plans include heavy bombing options and mention possible ground operations, though military officials cautioned that any ground component would carry “high risk of casualties.”
That same reporting described the preparations as especially intensive—framed as the largest round of such planning since a ceasefire took effect. Two Middle East officials quoted by the Times said the U.S. and Israel were engaged in “intensive preparations,” with the possibility of renewed strikes as early as the following week if Trump decided to break the existing stalemate through additional bombing. In this scenario, Trump has not yet made a decision, but the existence of planning documents suggests that senior advisers are pressing for contingency options rather than waiting for a single diplomatic outcome.
Military planners discussed potential escalation choices that would target Iranian military assets and also infrastructure. The rationale, as presented in the Times account summarized by ynetnews, is that expanded bombing sorties could be aimed not only at commanders and systems directly tied to combat capability, but also at facilities that support Iranian operational endurance. Iranian officials, for their part, have indicated that they too are preparing for renewed fighting—signaling that both sides anticipate the possibility of a renewed cycle of strikes and retaliation.
Israel’s readiness posture appears to be increasing in parallel. Additional coverage in other reporting streams has described Israeli forces being on alert and prepared for the possibility of renewed hostilities with Iran, potentially alongside U.S. action. In the live-update framing carried by Hindustan Times, the broader U.S.-Iran confrontation is described as having begun on Feb. 28, with a ceasefire described as hanging in the balance and warning messaging circulating from Tehran. The same reporting emphasized that Israel’s military remained on high alert amid the prospect of renewed U.S. moves and Iranian response.
Even with the focus on Iran, regional spillover risks loom. The primary ynetnews report notes that Israel may seek a “green light” for renewed strikes in Beirut, implying that Israeli planners could be considering scenarios in which the campaign is not limited geographically to Iran’s territory or immediate theaters. Such a move would raise the likelihood of fallout in Lebanon, where the political and security environment is already sensitive to changes in the broader Iran-led axis’s posture.
Israeli internal assessments, as characterized by analysis in Haaretz, point to a period of heightened uncertainty in the coming days. The outlet described briefings indicating the United States is preparing options for renewed military action against Iran, including potential strikes on energy infrastructure. It also suggested that the approach could involve assistance from Israel, or alternatively could prompt Iran to attack Israel in response to American action—drawing Israel back into the confrontation. Haaretz further described Israel’s military alert level as particularly high.
The convergence of these reporting streams suggests a picture of strategic brinkmanship: U.S. leaders weighing negotiations while U.S. and Israeli military planners build an operational shelf of options, and Iran signaling that it too is preparing for renewed fighting. For Washington, the challenge is balancing pressure on Tehran with a desire to avoid a prolonged, multi-front conflict that could be difficult to contain. For Israel, the challenge is planning for both the timing and the form of possible strikes, including the possibility that any U.S. move could quickly involve Israeli territory and, by extension, additional regional escalation.
As Trump prepares to return to Washington and begins discussions on Iran policy, the next phase appears to be defined less by statements and more by planning and readiness. With ceasefire dynamics unstable and multiple contingencies reportedly drafted, officials on all sides are now moving toward decisions with potential consequences that could extend well beyond Iran’s borders—into the skies over Israel, the corridors of Lebanon, and the wider strategic calculus of the Persian Gulf.
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