The press is either ignorant of or deliberately ignores the fact that every administration always has contingency plans for every possible future action anywhere. I think of the 2 choices, they've chosen the 2nd.
I think it's the latter. The press ignores the fact our military and defense people create and recreate contingency plans all the time. Not just for Iran, but for every country across the board.
People are hired to run computer games on these plans to judge effectiveness, on an ongoing basis, adjusting new technology and new information.
The government would be derelict if we did not do this, and the press is wrong to insinuate otherwise.