The U.S. military is prepared for potential strikes against Iran, possibly as early as this weekend, though a final decision from President Donald Trump has not yet been made. Trump has consistently called for Iran to halt its nuclear program and has warned of potential military action if a resolution isn’t reached.
Military Preparations
According to reports from the New York Times, CBS News, and CNN, the U.S. military has positioned sufficient air and naval assets in the Middle East to launch an attack within days. A senior U.S. official, speaking to Reuters, indicated that all U.S. military forces in the region are expected to be in place by mid-March.
CBS News also reported that the timeline for a strike could extend beyond this weekend. The USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier group and its accompanying warships are currently in the region, with the USS Gerald Ford en route, positioned off the coast of West Africa as of Wednesday.
Dozens of refueling tankers and over 50 additional fighter jets have also been deployed to the region, according to the New York Times. Simultaneously, the Pentagon is reportedly relocating some personnel from the Middle East to mitigate potential counterattacks should a strike proceed.
Diplomatic Efforts and Iranian Response
Iran is anticipated to submit a written proposal addressing the ongoing standoff with the United States, following talks held in Geneva on Tuesday. During a Wednesday press conference, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt declined to specify a deadline for Iran to reach a deal before potential military action.
“Iran would be very wise to make a deal with President Trump,” Leavitt stated, adding that the administration views “diplomacy” as the president’s “first option,” despite having previously “totally obliterated Iran’s nuclear facilities.” She acknowledged “a little bit of progress” from Tuesday’s talks but emphasized that “we’re still very far apart on some issues.”
Sources cited by CNN indicate that Trump is closely considering the situation. Axios reporter Barak Ravid reported that Trump met Wednesday with Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, the advisors leading indirect talks with Iran.
Ravid’s sources also suggested the Geneva talks with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi were unproductive and that the Pentagon is preparing for a potential joint U.S.-Israeli offensive lasting weeks. According to these sources, Iran faces a deadline of the end of February to offer concessions regarding its nuclear program.
International Reactions
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s supreme leader, posted an AI-generated image on social media depicting the USS Ford submerged at sea, accompanied by a warning about the capabilities to target the warship.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov cautioned against a new U.S. strike on Iran, stating, “the consequences are not good” and urging the U.S. to allow Iran to pursue a peaceful nuclear program.
In June, the U.S. struck key nuclear enrichment sites in Iran, and Israeli fighter jets targeted “dozens” of locations within the country, including a long-range missile site in Yazd.
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