President Donald Trump said Friday he is “considering” a limited military strike on Iran, signaling that the U.S. could be on the brink of a major confrontation in the Middle East.
The president made the remark during a governors’ breakfast at the White House, as the Pentagon finalized high-stakes plans that include targeting senior Iranian figures and even pursuing regime change in Tehran.
All military action hinges on Trump’s approval, with officials making clear that no operation will move forward without his direct green light from the Oval Office.
A State Department insider said Trump has not made up his mind and is weighing Iran’s response along with advice from members of his cabinet.
Two U.S. officials described the options on the table as the clearest sign yet that America is preparing for a serious conflict if diplomatic efforts collapse completely.
The Pentagon is reportedly preparing for a sustained, weeks-long campaign aimed at crippling Iranian security facilities and deeply buried nuclear infrastructure across the country.
The U.S. military presence in the region has surged to levels not seen in years, with experts calling it the largest concentration of American firepower since the Iraq invasion.
Two aircraft carriers have been deployed alongside a dozen warships, backed by hundreds of fighter jets and advanced air defense systems, as additional reinforcements move into position.
Over 150 U.S. cargo flights have already transported weapons and ammunition into the Middle East, and in the last 24 hours alone, another 50 fighter jets were sent to the region.
The buildup includes F-35s, F-22s and F-16s, with officials saying the U.S. would be ready to launch military operations as soon as Saturday if Trump gives the order, per the Daily Mail.
Any campaign would likely be coordinated with Israel and would exceed the scale of last year’s 12-day conflict, when the U.S. joined Israeli efforts to strike underground nuclear facilities.
Sources warned the operation could be “existential for the regime” in Tehran and would have a “dramatic influence on the entire region” for years to come.
Plans under discussion reportedly include efforts to assassinate Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and senior Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps commanders, a move that would fundamentally alter Iran’s power structure.
Diplomatic talks in Geneva between Trump advisers Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi lasted three hours this week, with both sides claiming progress but officials acknowledging major gaps remain.
Meanwhile, the White House is developing a plan that could involve bases at Diego Garcia and RAF Fairford, though the U.K. has not granted permission for their use amid legal concerns.
Israel is preparing for the possibility of war within days, with more than 200 combat aircraft ready and a second U.S. carrier strike group, the USS Gerald R. Ford, expected to arrive in the eastern Mediterranean.
