Tonnes of munitions, military trucks and armored vehicles came ashore at Ashdod and Haifa in a single day, and in Washington the head of US Central Command sat down with the president to talk about striking Iran.
The Axios report, relayed by News24 on May 1, said President Donald Trump received a detailed briefing from CENTCOM commander Brad Cooper and the chairperson of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. The meeting reportedly lasted about 45 minutes. One plan described to Axios was a “short and powerful” series of strikes on key Iranian infrastructure, meant to raise the pressure on Tehran and break the deadlock.
Options beyond airstrikes
CENTCOM has reportedly drawn up more than airstrikes. One proposal would take control of the Strait of Hormuz to secure shipping routes. Another would put special forces on the ground to secure Iran’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium. The US government has not confirmed any of these plans.
Trump has said more than once that economic pressure is his preferred tool. He recently argued that sanctions and blockades work better against Iran than bombing, and warned that the pressure could grow if Iran does not deal with concerns over its nuclear program.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian struck a different note. Iran could still be attacked in the middle of negotiations, he warned, and trust in the United States has been “completely destroyed” by past strikes during diplomatic talks.
6,500 tonnes in 24 hours
The Jerusalem Post reported that the US delivered around 6,500 tonnes of munitions and equipment to Israel within 24 hours. The cargo included air and ground munitions, military trucks and Joint Light Tactical Vehicles. It came by sea and air, and Israel’s Defence Ministry said two cargo ships and several aircraft were involved, with the supplies then sent on to bases around the country.
Since Operation Roaring Lion began, the ministry said, Israel has received more than 115,600 tonnes of military equipment on hundreds of flights and sailings. Officials said the logistics effort is continuing and may grow in the coming weeks. Defence Minister Israel Katz said Israel remains ready to act “at any moment” against its enemies.
No strike had been announced at the time of the reports.
