There is no doubt that the plan to deter Iran is on the table of US President Donald Trump. It includes the military option which will be ferocious.

In a remarkable development, Saudi Arabia and some other GCC countries have agreed to an American proposal to redeploy US forces in Arabian Gulf waters so as to warn the Mullahs against any attempt to start a military escalation, attack Gulf countries or jeopardize American interests.

The United States has ordered its non-essential government staff to leave Iraq. Holland has halted its diplomatic mission in Baghdad and Germany has suspended military training in Iraq. Britain has increased its readiness and warned its employees to be more careful, and some oil companies have evacuated their staff. All of this is because of the rising tension in the region.

What do the warnings and the rising readiness by some Arab and Western countries mean? Why is America sending massive military power to the Gulf? The US military force consists of aircraft carriers, offensive sea and land attack ships, Patriot batteries, B-52 warplanes and others.

Is this just a show of strength or is there a tactical purpose?

Iran still insists on its provocations and violations that may lead the region into a new war and a massive military confrontation.

The evidence for this is Iran abandoning its commitments in the nuclear agreement, resuming the enrichment of uranium and reproducing centrifuges along with its involvement in terrorist attacks.

The US has tied its military warning to Iran to the threats to its own interests and those of its allies.

The US accuses Iran of being behind the attacks on four commercial ships in the territorial waters of the United Arab Emirates.

Sources close to the Iranian Revolutionary Guard have confessed that Iran’s agents and arms in the region were behind this criminal act.

The Houthis in Yemen, who are the Militia of the Mullahs, have targeted two oil pumping stations of Aramco in Dawadmi and Afif with Iranian-made drones.

The Arabian Gulf today is witnessing a serious escalation of events in the light of Iran’s continued threats and provocations.

All of these Iranian terror crimes bring to mind the “Tanker War” during the Iran-Iraq War and the duel between Washington and Tehran in Arabian Gulf waters during the period 1984-1988.

There is no doubt that we are in for a very hot summer. The massing of military forces is not just for a show of strength. Iran would be the biggest loser but the Mullahs are too cowardly to face America and its allies face to face.

However, Iran will continue to entice its agents and militias in Syria, Iraq, Yemen and Lebanon and also its cells in the GCC to carry out terrorist attacks.

It will also continue its provocations in Arabian Gulf waters while it will beg for mediation under the table.

In this case, Washington may resort to the use of military might to discipline Iran as it is clear that Tehran only understands the language of power.

The use of America’s military power will be supported by an uprising of the Iranian people who are fed up with the rule of the Mullahs.

— The author is a Saudi writer. Follow him on Twitter: @JameelAlTheyabi