WSJ: Iran Used 60-Day Ceasefire to Strengthen Its Military and Plan a New Confrontation

Iran used the 60-day ceasefire period to expand its military capabilities and prepare for another escalation with the United States and Israel, The Wall Street Journal reports.

The memorandum of understanding signed with the US in June was not viewed by the Iranian leadership as the end of the conflict. According to the report, hard-line officials in Tehran allegedly decided in the first days of the ceasefire to prepare for a new military confrontation.

Arab and Iranian sources cited by the WSJ said that after the agreement was signed, senior Iranian leaders met to devise a new strategy. The plan included strengthening the Revolutionary Guard, reinstating several commanders with experience from the Iran-Iraq War to key positions, and accelerating the production of drones and missiles.

During the ceasefire, Tehran also sought to exert greater pressure on the US and its allied countries in the region, the report claims.

According to the sources cited, Iran-linked groups carried out operations against ships in the Strait of Hormuz, while operations through the Houthis in the Red Sea were expanded.

Through this strategy, according to the report, Iran sought to make US involvement in the conflict more costly and secure more favorable conditions if fighting resumed.

The WSJ writes that Arab intelligence agencies have obtained information that allegedly supports the existence of this plan. The intelligence gathered also includes communications between Tehran and allied groups or armed forces in Iraq and Yemen.

Based on this information, US officials have alerted several countries in the region to the risk of further attacks by Iran. Kuwait is reportedly among the countries that received warnings because of a potential threat to targets that Tehran might designate as “enemy territory.”

The report’s publication comes at a delicate stage, as the 60-day ceasefire between the US and Iran has ended without a final agreement being reached.

If the claims published by the WSJ are confirmed, this would indicate that Iran used the ceasefire not only for talks, but also to reorganize its forces and strengthen its military capabilities in preparation for a new conflict.