"The deadline is approaching. The Pentagon is reported to want to strike Iran's military and civilian dual-use energy facilities."

As U.S. President Trump’s so-called “final ultimatum” to Iran approaches its expiration, the Pentagon was reported on the 6th to have included Iran’s dual-use military and civilian energy facilities on its target list.

According to U.S. sources on the 6th, Iran still firmly controls the passage rights of the Strait of Hormuz, a key energy transportation route, and from public statements, Iran continues to refuse concessions to U.S. demands, thereby increasingly frustrating the White House. As the conflict drags on, the number of strategic Iranian targets the U.S. can strike is decreasing. The U.S. government is weighing whether and how to expand the scope of strikes, including infrastructure vital to Iranian civilians’ livelihoods.

Sources say that if Trump were to deploy ground troops into Iran, it could cause this already unpopular war with the American public to persist further. If Trump chooses to attack Iran’s civilian infrastructure, it would clearly violate international law and could lead to war crimes charges. To avoid this outcome, the U.S. intends to emulate Israel by targeting Iran’s military and civilian dual-use facilities.

Two U.S. Defense Department officials, speaking anonymously, said that Iran’s energy facilities that supply fuel and electricity to both civilians and the military could be considered “legitimate” targets. Another anonymous U.S. official said there is considerable debate within the Pentagon about how to distinguish military from civilian targets, such as whether desalination plants that serve both military and civilian needs can be designated for attack.

Former Army Judge Advocate General Shaun Timmons believes that some Iranian civilian infrastructure that is also used by the military could become “legitimate” targets, but only after legal assessments within the Department of Defense. However, Defense Secretary Mark Esper has significantly reduced the staff responsible for selecting military targets and avoiding civilian casualties, and has also aimed to streamline the military legal advisory team providing legitimacy for operations.

Timmons also pointed out that the Trump administration has repeatedly incited the Iranian people to “spontaneously overthrow the current regime,” and attacking key civilian infrastructure