The US military is preparing for the possibility of sustained, weeks long operations against Iran if President Donald Trump orders an attack, according to two US officials who spoke to Reuters.
The officials, speaking on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the planning, said preparations are under way for a conflict that could prove far more serious than previous confrontations between Washington and Tehran.
The disclosure comes as US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner prepare to hold negotiations with Iran in Geneva on Tuesday, with Oman acting as mediator. Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned on Saturday that while Trump prefers a diplomatic resolution, “that’s very hard to do.”
Trump has already expanded the US military presence in the Middle East. On Friday, officials confirmed the Pentagon was sending an additional aircraft carrier to the region, alongside thousands of additional troops, fighter aircraft and guided missile destroyers.
Speaking after a military event at Fort Bragg in North Carolina, Trump openly raised the prospect of regime change in Tehran, saying it “seems like that would be the best thing that could happen.” He declined to name a preferred successor, adding, “there are people.”
“For 47 years, they’ve been talking and talking and talking,” Trump said.
Although Trump has previously expressed reluctance about deploying ground troops, stating last year that “the last thing you want to do is ground forces,” the assets currently positioned suggest options centred on air and naval strikes.
One of the US officials said that in a sustained campaign, American forces could target Iranian state and security facilities, not only nuclear infrastructure. The official declined to provide further operational details.
The same official said the United States fully expects Iran to retaliate, potentially leading to prolonged exchanges of strikes and reprisals.
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,” Kelly added.
The Pentagon declined to comment.
Trump has repeatedly threatened military action over Iran’s nuclear and ballistic missile programmes and its crackdown on dissent. On Thursday, he warned that failing to reach a diplomatic solution would “be very traumatic, very traumatic.”
Iran’s Revolutionary Guard has warned it would retaliate against US military bases if Iranian territory is attacked. The US maintains bases across the Middle East, including in Jordan, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Turkey.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who met Trump in Washington on Wednesday, said that any agreement with Iran “must include the elements that are vital to Israel.”
Meanwhile, Iranian opposition figure Reza Pahlavi told Reuters that US military intervention could accelerate the fall of Iran’s leadership.
“We are hoping that this attack will expedite the process and the people can be finally back in the streets and take it all the way to the ultimate regime’s downfall,” said Pahlavi.
While diplomacy continues in Geneva, US military planning signals that Washington is preparing for the possibility that talks could fail, setting the stage for a potentially prolonged and volatile confrontation in the region.
Faridah Abdulkadiri
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