Tensions Escalate: US Reportedly Ready to Strike Iran by Weekend
The large-scale deployment of United States military assets in the Middle East, encompassing warships, fighter jets and refuelling aircraft, is assessed as laying the groundwork for potential sustained strikes against Iran, should President Donald Trump give the order.
Trump, who ordered strikes against Iran last year, has repeatedly threatened Tehran with military action if ongoing negotiations fail to reach a replacement agreement for the nuclear deal that the US president himself cancelled in 2018.
Reports from leading US media outlets, including CNN and CBS, as cited by AFP on Thursday (19 February 2026), indicated that the US military would be ready to launch strikes against Iran as early as this weekend, although Trump has not yet made a final decision.
The White House, according to multiple sources cited by CNN, has been briefed that the military could be ready to launch strikes by the weekend, following a significant increase in the deployment of air force and naval assets to the Middle East in recent days.
However, one source cautioned that Trump has privately argued both for and against military action towards Iran, and has sought the opinions of his advisers and allies on the best course of action.
US national security officials held a meeting in the Situation Room at the White House on Wednesday (18 February) local time to discuss the Iran situation. Trump had also been briefed by the US Special Envoy for the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, and his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, regarding their indirect talks with Iran in Switzerland on Tuesday (17 February).
As yet, it remains unclear whether Trump will make a decision by the weekend. “He is spending a lot of time thinking about this,” said one source cited by CNN.
US and Iranian negotiators exchanged notes over three and a half hours during indirect talks mediated by Oman on Tuesday (17 February), although the discussions ended without a clear resolution. Tehran’s chief negotiator said both sides had agreed on “a set of guiding principles”, but a US official stated that “there are still many details to be discussed”.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Wednesday (18 February) that Iran was expected to provide further details about its negotiating position “in the coming weeks”. However, Leavitt did not say whether Trump would delay military action during that period.
Speaking to reporters, Leavitt emphasised that Trump always prioritises diplomacy, although military action also remains an option.
“The President has always been very clear, with respect to Iran or any country in the world, diplomacy is always his first choice, and Iran would be very wise to make a deal with President Trump and this administration,” she said.
Leavitt added that Trump “speaks with many people, especially his national security team”, but she also stated: “There are many reasons and arguments that can be made for strikes against Iran.”
These ambiguous statements have further heightened concerns over a US-Iran military conflict, even though officials from both countries appear to be hoping for a diplomatic solution.
In addition to the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln and other US warships, the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford — the most advanced carrier in the US arsenal — could arrive in the Middle East region as early as this weekend.
US Air Force assets based in the United Kingdom, refuelling aircraft and other supporting elements have also been deployed to the region as part of the military buildup.