Days after the US sent its biggest aircraft carrier, USS Gerald R. Ford carrier strike group, to the Middle Eastern waters, a report has emerged that the US military is preparing for the possibility of prolonged operations, lasting several weeks.
This comes as the second round of talks between the US and Iran has been scheduled to start in Geneva on Tuesday. The first round of talks between the US and Iranian diplomats was held in Oman last week in an effort to revive diplomacy over Tehran's nuclear program, after Trump built up military forces in the region, raising fears of new military action.
Unlike the previous approach, this time the Trump administration has decided to go in for a large-scale operation that would be carried out if the talks fail. While the past operations focused solely on nuclear assets, the current planning includes possible damage to state institutions and security facilities of the Iranian regime.
Though he has been strongly opposed to a long and drawn-out operation like in Afghanistan and Iran, which claimed thousands of US soldiers, Trump believes the Iran situation warrants it.
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According to White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly, President Trump has all options on the table regarding Iran. "He listens to a variety of perspectives on any given issue, but makes the final decision based on what is best for our country and our national security," Kelly said.
Iran too warning of the consequences of a US attack. The Revolutionary Guards declared that any attack on the country's territory would lead to a response against American bases spread throughout the Middle East.
Eyal Ofer, an expert on Middle Eastern affairs to Israeli media “Maariv" that Washington's recent moves indicate a profound change in thinking in the White House and a real possibility of a large-scale military escalation with Iran.
"The transfer of the Ford aircraft carrier from the Caribbean to the Middle East demonstrates a change in thinking in the White House. Suddenly they introduce a fifth move: Instead of waiting until the USS George H W Bush aircraft carrier to complete the combined final training and postpones its arrival in the region for another month, they ordered the USS Gerard Ford, which has been in operational activity for eight months and was supposed to return to its home port for maintenance and rest, to sail full steam to the Mediterranean,” Ofer said.
"The Ford will not proceed to the Gulf. To save time, within 12 days it will be positioned south of Cyprus, and within a two-hour flight from Tehran, American air power in the region will be doubled," he added.
"Trump can go down in history as a leader who finally broke the grip of Iran's radical theocracy, a regime that has constantly undermined the stability of the region and threatened global security - he must not fall victim to Tehran's classic tactics again: the 'Persian Bazaar,' endless bargaining, continuous negotiations, and deliberate wasting of time," Ofer added.
Ofer estimates that the window of time for a decision is shrinking: "The window of opportunity for decisive action is rapidly shrinking. With the midterm elections in the United States scheduled for November 3, 2026, the moment of truth is rapidly approaching – not this week, but very likely in the next 2-3 weeks," he added.
