The U.S. military is reportedly gearing up to strike Iran as early as Saturday, but the decision is ultimately up to President Donald Trump, who remains undecided.
News reports of possibly impending military strikes come after Trump authorized the deployment of the USS Gerald R. Ford, the world’s largest warship, to the Middle East. The aircraft carrier is part of the broader U.S. military buildup surrounding Iran.
The Gerald R. Ford joins the USS Abraham Lincoln in the waters near Iran, while U.S. Air Force fighter jets based in the United Kingdom have relocated to the Middle East.
Trump has repeatedly dodged answering questions about whether he will ultimately order a military attack against Iran, and it’s unlikely the Pentagon will comment on military action until it happens because of the plan’s sensitive nature.
On Wednesday, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said there are “many reasons and arguments that one could make for a strike against Iran” and noted diplomacy is Trump’s “first option.” However, she warned Iran “would be very wise to make a deal” with Trump.
The United States and Iran are currently engaging in talks for a nuclear deal, preventing Iran from getting its hands on nuclear weapons. While some progress has been made in those discussions, Iran won’t disclose more details on its negotiating position until a few weeks from now, according to Leavitt.
It remains unclear if Trump will hold off on attacking Iran during this period.
There’s also the possibility of Israel launching strikes against Iran’s ballistic missile program. The Jewish state is reportedly waiting for approval from the U.S. before taking action.
US-IRAN CONFLICT: ALL SIDES BRACE FOR WAR AS ‘NOTHING BURGER’ NUCLEAR NEGOTIATIONS PROVE FRUITLESS
Secretary of State Marco Rubio is expected to visit Israel on Feb. 28 to meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu about the nuclear deal talks with Iran, CNN reported.
Earlier Wednesday, Trump pleaded with the U.K. to refrain from giving up a strategic island in the Indian Ocean in the event Iran refuses to make a deal. The joint U.K.-U.S. air base on Diego Garcia is a prime spot for sending bombers to strike Iran. The distance of 2,360 miles between Diego Garcia and Iran notably keeps the air base outside the range of most Iranian missiles or drones.
