A US military plan for potential attacks against Iran is “saber rattling” directed mostly at domestic audiences, a former US Senate policy adviser and diplomat says.

“Of course the US military has many plans like this and you can be sure that a plan to attack Iran would be very high on the list of contingencies that is being updated constantly,” said James George Jatras, a specialist in international relations and legislative politics in Washington.

“As far as making this public now, this is surely a bit of saber rattling and hairy chest thumping on part of the Obama administration,” Jatras said Monday during a phone interview with Press TV.

He made the comments as USA Today reported, based on interviews with senior officers, that the US military is drawing plans for a potential “comprehensive attack” against Iran if Tehran violates the recent nuclear agreement.

“But it’s directed less against the Iranians and more against Congress and the American people for him [Obama] to say … we are prepared to back this with military force,” he added.

An attack, according to one officer, would be aimed at targeting Iran’s “air defenses” and its “deeply buried nuclear facilities.”

However, analysts say a military strike against Iran is very unlikely given that Obama has about 18 months left in the White House.

“A military campaign in Iran is the last thing that Mr. Obama wants to contemplate during the time he has left in office,” Jatras said.

Obama has launched an aggressive campaign of private meetings and public advocacy to sell the skeptical lawmakers on the nuclear agreement with Iran ahead of a September vote on it in the Republican-led Congress.

By Press TV