US military positioned for possible strike on Iran by this weekend, Trump nod awaited: Report | World News

The US military is reportedly ready to launch an attack on Iran as early as this weekend, but President Donald Trump has not yet decided whether to authorize such a military operation, CNN reported, citing sources familiar with the situation.

Senior national security officials have informed the White House that US forces could be ready for an attack by the end of this week, following a significant increase in air and naval assets in the Middle East in recent days. But Trump is weighing both military and diplomatic options and seeking advice from top aides and international partners on the best course of action.

Senior administration officials gathered in the White House Situation Room on Wednesday to review the Iran situation, CNN reported.

Meanwhile, Trump received a briefing from special envoy Steve Witkoff and his son-in-law Jared Kushner about indirect talks with Iranian representatives in Geneva.

It is not yet clear whether Trump will approve military action by the end of the week.

Diplomacy and military stance

Iranian and US negotiators held indirect talks for nearly three and a half hours in Geneva on Tuesday, exchanging notes but failing to reach a definitive agreement. Iranian officials said both sides agreed on a set of “guiding principles” that would guide the continuation of talks, but significant differences still needed to be addressed.

According to information obtained, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is expected to go to Israel on February 28 to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and discuss the developments regarding the Iran negotiations.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Iran is expected to clarify its negotiating position within the next few weeks, but did not say whether Trump would delay any decision on military action until then.

“There are many reasons and arguments that can be made to attack Iran,” Leavitt said, but emphasized that Trump is primarily committed to the recommendations of his national security team.”

US warships and fighter jets massing near Iran

While officials continue to express cautious optimism about diplomacy, vague statements have raised concerns about a possible military conflict between the United States and Iran.

USS Gerald Ford, the most advanced aircraft carrier in the US fleet, will be able to reach the region as early as this weekend following the latest military reinforcements.

Additionally, U.S. Air Force assets based in the United Kingdom, including fighter jets and refueling tankers, are being redeployed closer to the Middle East, according to sources familiar with operations.

Iran, in response, is fortifying multiple nuclear facilities by covering key facilities with concrete and significant layers of soil, as recent satellite images and analysis from the Institute for Science and International Security reveal, amid increasing U.S. military pressure.