US military preparing for potentially weeks-long Iran operations
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox
The world's largest aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald R. Ford, is said to be heading to the Middle East.
PHOTO: REUTERS
- The US military is preparing for sustained, weeks-long operations against Iran, significantly escalating potential conflict with major troop and naval deployments.
- Diplomacy is ongoing, but President Trump openly suggested regime change in Iran and stated all options remain on the table.
- Experts warn of greater risks to US forces, significant Iranian retaliation, and potential regional conflict due to Iran's missile arsenal.
AI generated
WASHINGTON - The US military is preparing for the possibility of sustained, weeks-long operations against Iran if President Donald Trump orders an attack, two US officials told Reuters, in what could become a far more serious conflict than previously seen between the countries.
The disclosure by the officials – who spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the planning – raises the stakes for the diplomacy under way between the United States and Iran.
US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner will hold negotiations with Iran on Feb 17 in Geneva, with representatives from Oman acting as mediators.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio cautioned on Feb 14 that while Mr Trump’s preference was to reach a deal with Tehran, “that’s very hard to do”.
Meanwhile, Mr Trump has amassed military forces in the region, raising fears of new military action.
US officials said on Feb 13 the Pentagon was sending an additional aircraft carrier
Mr Trump, speaking to US troops on Feb 13 at a base in North Carolina, openly floated the possibility of regime change in Iran, saying it “seems like that would be the best thing that could happen”.
He declined to share who he wanted to take over Iran, but said “there are people”.
“For 47 years, they’ve been talking and talking and talking,” Mr Trump said.
Mr Trump has long voiced scepticism about sending ground troops into Iran, saying in 2025 “the last thing you want to do is ground forces”, and the kinds of US firepower arrayed in the Middle East so far suggest options for strikes primarily by air and naval forces.
In Venezuela, Mr Trump demonstrated a willingness to rely also on special operations forces to seize that country’s leader, Nicolas Maduro, in a January raid.
Asked for comment on the preparations for a potentially sustained US military operation, White House spokesperson Anna Kelly said: “President Trump has all options on the table with regard to 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 national security.”
The Pentagon declined to comment.
The US sent two aircraft carriers to the region in 2025, when it carried out strikes against Iranian nuclear sites.
However, June’s “Midnight Hammer” operation
Risks increasing
In a sustained campaign, the US military could hit Iranian state and security facilities, not just nuclear infrastructure, one of the officials said. The official declined to provide specific detail.
Experts say the risks to US forces would be far greater in such an operation against Iran, which boasts a formidable arsenal of missiles. Retaliatory Iranian strikes also increase the risk of a regional conflict.
The same official said the US fully expected Iran to retaliate, leading to back-and-forth strikes and reprisals over a period of time.
The White House and Pentagon did not respond to questions about the risks of retaliation or regional conflict.
Mr Trump has repeatedly threatened to bomb Iran over its nuclear and ballistic missile programmes and crushing of internal dissent. On Feb 12, he warned the alternative to a diplomatic solution would “be very traumatic, very traumatic”.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards have warned that in case of strikes on Iranian territory, they could retaliate against any US military base.
The US maintains bases throughout the Middle East, including 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
Iran has said it is prepared to discuss curbs on its nuclear programme in exchange for lifting sanctions, but has ruled out linking the issue to missiles. REUTERS
