Seymour Hersh is back at it again. This time, the investigative reporting legend says that the U.S. has definitely made Iran its next strategic target and has special forces troops operating inside Iran's borders to pick targets for bomb and/or missile strikes.

Some excerpts of the BBC story:

Hersh says that American special forces have conducted reconnaissance missions inside Iran for six months.

Potential targets include nuclear sites and missile installations, he says.

They have been aided by information from the government of Pakistan, Hersh adds.

He reports as well that American special forces units have been authorised to conduct covert operations in as many as 10 nations in the Middle East and South Asia.

'Riddled with inaccuracies'

Hersh bases his claims on anonymous sources, including former intelligence officials and consultants with links to the Pentagon.

One such consultant is quoted as saying that the civilians in the Pentagon wanted to go into Iran and destroy as much of the military infrastructure as possible.

The article has already drawn fire from the White House: the communications director, Dan Bartlett, called it "riddled with inaccuracies".

Here is the full New Yorker article.