The Washington Post reported, citing informed sources, that the administration of US President Donald Trump appears prepared to launch a large-scale military attack on Iran, as the Pentagon continues to strengthen a large offensive force in the Middle East.
The newspaper quoted informed officials as saying that the arsenal, which has been assembled for weeks, is awaiting the arrival of the American aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford and its accompanying warships, after military leaders extended the period of its deployment last week and ordered the ships to head to the region from the Caribbean Sea.
The officials added that the ships were about to cross the Strait of Gibraltar on Thursday, making the attack possible within days.
They stressed that the administration seeks to deliver a clear message that the United States is strengthening its combat capabilities in the region, but they pointed out that it is not yet clear whether Trump has actually agreed to carry out military action, according to informed sources.
Some pointed out that among the considerations raised is the ongoing Winter Olympics, which conclude their activities on Sunday in Italy.
And he said Daniel B. Shapirothe former US ambassador to Israel and a top Pentagon official during the Biden administration, said that the United States, with the support of Israel, would have “overwhelming military superiority” over Iran.
However, Shapiro warned that any broad conflict with Iran carries grave risks, including ballistic missiles capable of killing American soldiers in the region, as well as a network of proxy forces spread across the Middle East, which could quickly turn any attack into a broader and bloodier war, as well as the potential for major disruption to shipping and the global oil market.
Shapiro, a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council, added in reference to Iran: “They will certainly suffer severe damage from joint US-Israeli strikes, but that does not mean that it will end quickly or smoothly, as they have the ability to impose some costs in the opposite direction.”
According to the newspaper, regional diplomats initially believed that the military pressure exerted by the Trump administration was aimed at pushing Tehran to make greater concessions in the negotiations, according to a European diplomat familiar with the talks.
However, after the conclusion of the last round of talks on Tuesday, these diplomats believe that Iran is not ready to back down from its “basic positions,” including its right to enrich uranium.
The diplomat said that the Iranians were planning to drown the negotiations in formal details and delay reaching a substantive agreement, adding that “while it was possible to adopt a traditional approach to building on dialogue, Trump does not have enough patience.”
He pointed out that the US military buildup was initially reassuring to some officials in the region, but indications that the Trump administration is preparing for a long-term conflict have now raised serious concerns.
In the same context, a US State Department official announced that Secretary of State Marco Rubio intends to visit Israel on February 28 to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The official explained that the visit aims to inform Netanyahu of the latest developments in the US-Iranian negotiations, without ruling out the possibility of the Pentagon resorting to launching pre-emptive strikes.
