US Military Prepared to Strike Iran: Trump Weighs Decision

US Military Prepared for Potential Strikes on Iran, Trump Weighs Options

The US military is prepared to launch strikes against Iran as early as this weekend, but President Donald Trump has not yet authorized military action, according to sources familiar with the matter. The White House has been briefed on the military’s readiness following a recent build-up of air and naval assets in the Middle East.

However, sources indicate that Trump has expressed differing views on military intervention, privately arguing both for and against a strike and seeking counsel from advisors, and allies. Top national security officials convened in the White House Situation Room on Wednesday to discuss the escalating situation, and Trump received an update from special envoy Steve Witkoff and his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, regarding indirect talks held with Iran the previous day.

The timing of a final decision remains unclear. “He is spending a lot of time thinking about this,” one source stated.

Indirect negotiations between Iranian and US negotiators in Geneva on Tuesday lasted three and a half hours, resulting in an agreement on a “set of guiding principles,” according to Iran’s top negotiator. However, an American official cautioned that “there are still a lot of details to discuss.”

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stated Wednesday that Iran is expected to provide a more detailed proposal in the coming weeks, but declined to specify whether Trump would delay potential military action during that period. “I’m not going to set deadlines on behalf of the president of the United States,” she said.

Leavitt affirmed that diplomacy remains Trump’s “first option,” but emphasized that military action remains a viable option. “There’s many reasons and arguments that one could make for a strike against Iran,” she added, noting that Trump is relying on guidance from his national security team.

The ambiguity surrounding potential military action has heightened concerns about a possible conflict between the two nations, even as diplomatic efforts continue. The USS Gerald Ford, the most advanced aircraft carrier in the US Navy, is poised to arrive in the region as soon as this weekend, joining a growing US military presence. US Air Force assets stationed in the United Kingdom, including refueling tankers and fighter jets, are also being repositioned closer to the Middle East.

Meanwhile, Iran is reportedly reinforcing several of its nuclear facilities, utilizing concrete and substantial amounts of soil to bury key sites amid increasing US military pressure, according to new satellite imagery and analysis from the Institute for Science and International Security.

Several calendar events may influence the timing of any potential strike. The Winter Olympics, a period often associated with global unity, conclude on Sunday, leading some European officials to believe an attack would be unlikely before then. The start of Ramadan on Wednesday has prompted concerns among US allies in the Middle East, who fear that a strike during the holy month would be perceived as disrespectful.

Trump is scheduled to deliver his annual State of the Union address on Tuesday, which aides suggest will serve as a launchpad for his midterm election year message focused on domestic issues. It is unclear whether these events are factoring into Trump’s decision-making process.

In recent weeks, Trump has offered limited public justification for a large-scale military operation in Iran, hinting at a desire for regime change and insisting that Iran not acquire a nuclear weapon, but has not articulated specific objectives for a potential attack.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is scheduled to travel to Israel on February 28th to meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and provide an update on the ongoing Iran negotiations, according to a State Department official.