The U.S. military has positioned air and naval assets in the Middle East in preparation for possible strikes on Iran as early as this weekend, according to multiple media reports citing unnamed officials.
However, President Donald Trump has not made a final decision on whether to authorize military action. Trump has repeatedly insisted that Iran halt its nuclear program, warning that force remains an option if diplomacy fails.
Reports from major outlets indicate that sufficient military resources are now in place to carry out a strike in the coming days. Reuters, citing a senior U.S. official, reported that national security advisers were informed during a White House Situation Room meeting that all deployed forces should be fully operational in the region by mid-March. CBS suggested that any potential strike timeline could extend beyond the weekend.
Iran is expected to submit a written proposal outlining how it plans to resolve tensions with Washington following talks held in Geneva earlier this week, according to Reuters.
During a press briefing, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt declined to specify a deadline for Iran to reach a deal before military action might occur.
“Iran would be very wise to make a deal with President Trump,” she said, adding that the administration had “totally obliterated Iran’s nuclear facilities”, but that “diplomacy” remained the president’s “first option”.
She also acknowledged that while there was a “little bit of progress” after discussions in Geneva, “we’re still very far apart on some issues”.
“He is spending a lot of time thinking about this,” one source told CNN regarding Trump’s deliberations.
According to journalist Barak Ravid, Trump met Wednesday with key advisers overseeing indirect negotiations with Iran, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. Ravid reported that U.S. officials described the Geneva talks with Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, as a “nothingburger,” and indicated the Pentagon was preparing for a potential joint U.S.-Israeli campaign that could last several weeks.
The USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group is already stationed in the region, while the USS Gerald R. Ford is en route to the Middle East. As of Wednesday, tracking data placed the Ford off the coast of West Africa. Additional refueling aircraft and more than 50 fighter jets have also been deployed.
At the same time, the Pentagon has reportedly begun relocating certain personnel to minimize risk in the event of Iranian retaliation.
Iran’s supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, responded by posting an AI-generated image of the USS Gerald R. Ford depicted in a maritime grave, alongside the caption: “More dangerous than that warship is the weapon that can send that warship to the bottom of the sea.”
Russia also weighed in. In an interview with Saudi Arabia’s Al-Arabiya television, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov warned that “the consequences are not good” of any new U.S. strike.
“No one wants an increase in tension. Everyone understands this is playing with fire,” Lavrov said, urging Washington to avoid escalation and allow Iran to pursue what he described as a peaceful nuclear program.
Preparations are also reportedly underway in Israel in case it joins any coordinated strikes with the United States.
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