The United States is prepared to carry out an attack against Iran this weekend, but President Donald Trump has not yet made a final decision on authorizing the offensive, according to reports published on Wednesday night (18) in the American press.
According to broadcasters CNN e CBS Newsthe White House has been told that the military could be ready for action by the weekend, following a significant build-up of air and naval assets in the Middle East in recent days. Trump, however, would be evaluating arguments for and against the use of force and consulting advisors and allies on the best path.
Administration national security officials met Wednesday in the White House Situation Room to discuss the situation in Iran, according to a person familiar with the meeting cited by the CNN. On the same day, Trump was also briefed by special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner about the indirect negotiations with Iran held the day before in Geneva.
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A CNN reports that American and Iranian negotiators exchanged messages for three and a half hours on Tuesday without reaching a clear solution. Iran’s chief negotiator said there was agreement on a “set of guiding principles”, while a US official told the broadcaster that “there are still many details to discuss”.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, but avoided saying whether Trump would suspend possible military action in the meantime. “I will not set deadlines in the name of the president of the United States,” he said. She added that, although diplomacy is the president’s first option, the military alternative remains on the table.
The aircraft carrier USS Gerald Ford could arrive in the region this weekend, following other recent military reinforcement movements. United Kingdom-based US Air Force assets, including tankers and fighter jets, are being repositioned closer to the Middle East, US media reports.
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On the Iranian side, using concrete and large volumes of earth to protect areas considered strategic.
According to CNNevents on the international calendar can influence the timing of eventual action. The Winter Olympics close on Sunday, and European authorities consulted would have assessed that an attack before that date would be unlikely. The month of Ramadan began on Wednesday, and authorities from US allies in the Middle East had warned, according to the report, that an offensive during the period could increase regional tensions.
Trump is also scheduled to speak next Tuesday in his annual address to Congress. Aides told the CNN that the speech tends to mark the beginning of the political message for the legislative year.
The president did not publicly detail what the specific objectives of a possible offensive would be. For now, he has only reiterated that Iran cannot obtain a nuclear weapon and has already signaled support for regime change.
On Wednesday, , citing sources who see a high possibility of military action if negotiations fail.
