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The U.S. military has developed battle plans designed to clear al-Qaeda out of Iraq.
High level military intelligence sources have told CBN News the offensive would target the Iraqi province of Diyala.
The province is located just northeast of Baghdad, along the Iranian border.
Many of al-Qaeda's forces in Baghdad moved there when the new troop surge was announced in January. Diyala is now a major launching pad for al-Qaeda suicide bombing attacks.
Is Diyala a risk worth taking? How is this offensive different from other offensives carried out in Iraq? Watch Erick Stakelbeck's full report and interview with Gordon Robertson with these answers now.
"If you want to diminish the amount of car bombers and suicide bombers, you have to take the fight right to the source. And in this case, the source is Diyala," said CBN News consultant Daveed Gartenstein-Ross.
Gartenstein-Ross says the Diyala offensive will be even bigger than the major U.S. operation in Fallujah back in 2004-which cleared out a city that had been a major insurgent stronghold.
Military sources say the Fallujah operation directly led to the success of the 2005 Iraqi elections.
Gartenstein-Ross said, "Here, the goal is going to be to drive these guys out of the country entirely."
Sources say the initial plans involve three distinct strikes from three different directions. The goal is to destroy enemy training facilities and prevent al-Qaeda forces from escaping.
"The insurgents are left with two choices--either to stand and fight or to retreat into Iran--at which point, they're Iran's problem," said Gartenstein-Ross.
Al-Qaeda's leader in Iraq, Abu Ayyub al-Masri, has been laying mines and positioning anti-aircraft batteries to counteract the coming offensive. One of the U.S.military's goals is to take out these anti-aircraft groups. That will likely involve heavy us airpower.
If successful, this could have major benefits at home and abroad, according to retired U.S Colonel Bill Taylor.
"To the American public, it's a sign of progress. To our allies: maybe this effort is still worth supporting," said Taylor.
General David Petraeus has requested up to 3,000 additional troops for Diyala. The operation there can't move forward until his request is approved.
Taylor says Petreaus - who was one of his students at West Point - is the perfect choice to lead America's efforts in Iraq. But he's worried about recent reports that al-Qaeda may be preparing chemical weapons attacks against U.S. troops..
"Iraq has traditionally, a pretty big chemical industry. There's nothing that says that maybe al-Masri and the al-Qaeda people can't get their hands on something like WWII chemical agents, mustard gas for example," he said.
And that brings up the question of casualties.
A major offensive in Diyala could potentially cause a number of civilian and military deaths, especially if al-Qaeda stands and fights.
But experts say that's a risk worth taking. They say a victory in Diyala could cripple al-Qaeda in Iraq and help shore up lagging support for the war at home.