US prepares for new military strikes against Iran: report

Published May 23, 2026 Updated May 23, 2026 10:29am

The Trump administration was preparing for a fresh round of military strikes against Iran, according to sources with direct knowledge of the planning, even as diplomacy continued, CBS reports.

Some members of the US military and intelligence community cancelled their plans for the Memorial Day weekend in anticipation of possible strikes, several sources said.

Defence and intelligence officials began updating recall rosters for US installations overseas as tranches of troops stationed in the Middle East rotate out of the theatre, part of an effort to reduce the American military footprint in the region amid concern about possible Iranian retaliation.

Read the full report here.

Opinion

Editorial

More stabilisation
Updated 23 May, 2026

More stabilisation

The stabilisation achieved through painful growth compression steps could have been used as a platform for structural reforms.
Appalling tactics
23 May, 2026

Appalling tactics

IN Punjab, an encounter with the law can quickly turn deadly. Encouraged by a culture of ‘shoot first, ask...
Failed experiment
23 May, 2026

Failed experiment

IT is going from bad to worse for Shan Masood and Pakistan. It is now seven successive Test defeats away from home;...
Hardening lines
Updated 22 May, 2026

Hardening lines

Iranian suspicions about Pakistan’s close ties with Washington and Gulf states persist, while Pakistan remains uneasy over Tehran’s growing engagement with India.
Unliveable city
22 May, 2026

Unliveable city

IN Karachi, when it comes to water, it is every man and woman for themselves. A persistent shortage in available...
Glof alert
22 May, 2026

Glof alert

FOR many communities in northern Pakistan, the sound of heavy rain now carries a different meaning. It is no longer...