US President Donald Trump is expected to hear from Pentagon officials on Thursday about updated military options on Iran as he presses Tehran to agree to a deal, CNN reported, citing a source familiar with the matter.
According to the channel, Trump is regularly briefed on the military plans, and there is little indication that his previous reluctance to resume US bombing has abated.
Meanwhile, the briefing is a sign that Trump is holding his ground as talks to end the war are slow.
Admiral Brad Cooper, commander of US Central Command, and General Dan Cain, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, were expected to attend the briefing, along with other senior military officials.
"Trump's current strategy is aimed at inflicting as much economic damage on Iran as possible, hoping that the country will give in to demands to limit its nuclear program," reports CNN.
In recent days, he has told his top advisers that he wants to continue the US naval blockade of Iranian ports, sources familiar with the negotiations said. His team has begun laying the groundwork for such an extension, including closing the Strait of Hormuz for a longer period.
