The U.S. Navy is getting ready for the opportunity of sustained, weeks-long operations towards Iran if President Donald Trump orders an assault, two U.S. officers informed Reuters, in what may grow to be a much more severe battle than beforehand seen between the international locations.
The disclosure by the officers, who spoke on situation of anonymity as a result of delicate nature of the planning, raises the stakes for the diplomacy underway between america and Iran. U.S. Envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner will maintain negotiations with Iran on Tuesday (February 17, 2026) in Geneva, with representatives from Oman performing as mediators. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio cautioned on Saturday (February 14, 2026) that whereas Trump’s choice was to succeed in a take care of Tehran, “that’s very arduous to do.”
In the meantime, Mr. Trump has amassed army forces within the area, elevating fears of latest army motion. U.S. officers stated on Friday (February 13, 2026) the Pentagon was sending a further plane provider to the Center East, including hundreds extra troops together with fighter plane, guided-missile destroyers and different firepower able to waging assaults and defending towards them. Mr. Trump, talking on Friday (February 13, 2026) after a army occasion at Fort Bragg in North Carolina, overtly floated the risk of adjusting the federal government in Iran, saying it “looks like that will be one of the best factor that would occur.” He declined to share who he needed to take over Iran, however stated, “there are folks.”
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“For 47 years, they’ve been speaking and speaking and speaking,” Mr. Trump stated. Mr. Trump has lengthy voiced skepticism about sending floor troops into Iran, saying final yr, “the very last thing you wish to do is floor forces,” and the sorts of U.S. firepower arrayed within the Center East so far counsel choices for strikes primarily by air and naval forces. In Venezuela, Mr. Trump demonstrated a willingness to rely additionally on particular operations forces to grab that nation’s president, Nicolas Maduro, in a raid final month.
Requested for touch upon the preparations for a probably sustained U.S. army operation, White Home spokesperson Anna Kelly stated: “President Trump has all choices on the desk with regard to Iran.”
“He listens to quite a lot of views on any given problem, however makes the closing determination primarily based on what’s greatest for our nation and nationwide safety,” Ms. Kelly stated.
The Pentagon declined to remark.
The United States despatched two plane carriers to the area final yr, when it carried out strikes towards Iranian nuclear websites. Nevertheless, June’s “Midnight Hammer” operation was basically a one-off U.S. assault, with stealth bombers flying from america to strike Iranian nuclear amenities. Iran staged a really restricted retaliatory strike on a U.S. base in Qatar.
Dangers rising
The planning below approach this time is extra complicated, the officers stated.
In a sustained marketing campaign, the U.S. army may hit Iranian state and safety amenities, not simply nuclear infrastructure, one of many officers stated. The official declined to supply particular particulars.
Specialists say the dangers to U.S. forces can be far better in such an operation towards Iran, which boasts a formidable arsenal of missiles. Retaliatory Iranian strikes additionally improve the danger of a regional battle.
The identical official stated america totally anticipated Iran to retaliate, resulting in back-and-forth strikes and reprisals over time.
The White Home and Pentagon didn’t reply to questions concerning the dangers of retaliation or regional battle. Mr. Trump has repeatedly threatened to bomb Iran over its nuclear and ballistic missile packages and crushing of inner dissent. On Thursday, he warned the choice to a diplomatic answer would “be very traumatic, very traumatic.”
Iran’s Revolutionary Guard has warned that in case of strikes on Iranian territory, it may retaliate towards any U.S. Navy base.
The U.S. maintains bases all through the Center East, together with in Jordan, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Turkey. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met Mr. Trump for talks in Washington on Wednesday (February 11, 2026), saying that if an settlement with Iran have been reached, “it should embody the weather which are very important to Israel.”
Iran has stated it’s ready to debate curbs on its nuclear program in trade for lifting sanctions, however has dominated out linking the problem to missiles.
On Saturday (February 14, 2026), Iranian opposition determine Reza Pahlavi stated U.S. army intervention in Iran may save lives and urged Washington to not spend too lengthy negotiating with Tehran’s clerical rulers on a nuclear deal.
The exiled son of Iran’s toppled shah informed Reuters in an interview there have been indicators that the Iranian authorities was on the brink of collapse and that an assault may weaken it or speed up its fall.
“We hope that this assault will expedite the method and the folks might be lastly again within the streets and take all of it the way in which to the final word regime’s downfall,” stated Mr. Pahlavi, who relies in america and has lived outdoors Iran since earlier than his father was toppled within the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
Printed – February 15, 2026 07:14 am IST