A report in the British Guardian newspaper Wednesday said that the U.S. and the UK were gearing up for a possible attack on Iran. According to the report, the U.S. has become increasingly frustrated – and concerned – over Iran's refusal to end its enrichment of uranium. Britain has agreed to help, despite some members of the British government being opposed to providing such assistance.
"In anticipation of a potential attack, British military planners are examining where best to deploy Royal Navy ships and submarines equipped with Tomahawk cruise missiles over the coming months as part of what would be an air- and sea-launched campaign,” the article says. Officials said that the U.S. would launch some missile attacks from British ships, if action was taken against Iran, as well as from the British protectorate of Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean,
According to the Guardian, the decision to strike Iran came about as the result of the successful campaign that resulted in the dethroning of Muammar Qaddafi as dictator of Libya.
In a statement, the British Defense Ministry said that “the British Government believes that a dual track strategy of pressure and engagement is the best approach to address the threat from Iran’s nuclear program and avoid regional conflict. We want a negotiated solution - but all options should be kept on the table.”
Coinciding with the Guardian report, other reports said that Israel was planning its own incursion against Iran. After reports of a successful long-range military mission in Sardinia surfaced Wednesday, media rumors said that IDF troops had undertaken what was essentially a “dry run” of an attack against Iran.
In a statement, Iran said that it would “punish” any violation of its sovereignty, no matter by whom. “"The United States is fully aware that a military attack by the Zionist regime on Iran will not only cause tremendous damage to that regime, but it will also inflict serious damage to the U.S.,” a top Iranian general said Wednesday. "We, as the military, take every threat, however distant and improbable, as very real, and are fully prepared to use suitable equipment to punish any kind of mistake,” the official said.