US ‘Preparing the Battlefield’ in Case Iran Talks Fail, Israeli Special Ops Veteran Warns

The United States is simultaneously pursuing a diplomatic deal with Iran while “preparing the battlefield politically and militarily” in case negotiations collapse, according to Israeli special ops veteran Aaron Cohen.

Cohen, founder of Gideon, appeared alongside retired Navy SEAL Mike Sarraille to assess the state of the U.S.-Iran ceasefire and President Donald Trump’s stance against the regime.

“Trump is signaling two things simultaneously,” Cohen said. “He still wants a deal, if Iran folds under pressure. Two, he’s preparing the battlefield politically and militarily if they don’t.”

Cohen described the current ceasefire as being “on massive life support,” calling it strategic messaging aimed at Tehran. “I think he’s telling Iran, you are about to run out of your last inches of runway,” he said.

Iran’s latest response to the U.S. proposal — which reportedly included sanctions, a blockade, recognition of the Strait of Hormuz, compensation payments, and preserving parts of its nuclear program — was rejected immediately by Trump. Cohen characterized those terms as “regime survival terms” that were “never going to happen.”

Sarraille was more blunt, arguing the ceasefire “was clinically dead two weeks ago.” He added: “While diplomacy and pressure might have brought Iran to the table, the only thing that they will understand is punishment to bring them to reality. We need to hit them hard and we need to hit them now and don’t stop until we have 100% submission and surrender.”

Pressed on potential military targets, Sarraille responded: “I’m going to choose all of the above. It is Kharg, hitting the military command nodes, dual use infrastructure — hit them wherever possible.”

Cohen explained that weakened regimes stall for time after taking strategic damage. “They are stalling, buying time, creating fear theater,” he said. “Militarily and economically the regime is the weakest it’s ever been in years. The pressure campaign is working, the blockade is working. Tehran is trying to use diplomacy to cover leverage it lost on the battlefield.”

Asked about the role of Israel, Cohen said the combination of Israel’s upstream capabilities and human intelligence — built over 35 years — with U.S. military might leaves Iran without a chance. “Trump genuinely wanted to give them time, but the problem is you’re dealing with psychopathic homicide maniacs,” Cohen said. “I think Trump is almost done and we’ll see some military action turned up here. It’s just a question of minutes.”

Sarraille called for regime change and suggested arming Iranian civilians. “Allow Israel to continue to take out key leaders, but we’ve got to specifically target in each province the IRGC leadership as well as foot soldiers to give those Persian people a fighting chance,” he said. He confirmed that arming the population is possible, noting that Israel’s human intelligence network within Iran makes it an “invaluable partner.”

Cohen agreed, saying he believes Trump has “a whole list of operational plans” and that the current buffer period “might actually be quietly moving weapons to new forces that could be stood up.” He concluded: “It’s all doable. 100%.”