Washington’s Iran Leverage: Lots of Firepower
FILE - The US aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford on its way out of the Oslofjord at Nesodden and Bygd?y, Oslo, Norway, Wednesday, Sept. 17, 2025. (Lise ?serud/NTB Scanpix via AP)
The United States is steadily positioning warplanes and naval forces around Iran, giving Donald Trump the option to launch what could become the largest U.S. air campaign in the region since the 2003 Iraq invasion—should he decide to proceed. Advanced fighter jets have been deployed to bases in Jordan and Saudi Arabia, command-and-control aircraft are moving into the Middle East, and a second carrier strike group is en route, according to the Wall Street Journal.
The buildup is intended to support not only a single strike but potentially weeks of sustained bombing against Iranian nuclear facilities, missile sites, and possibly senior leadership targets. Trump has been informed that U.S. forces could be ready for potential strikes as early as Saturday, CBS News reports. On Thursday, he indicated Iran has about 10 days to reach an agreement.
Diplomatic contacts between Washington and Tehran are continuing: negotiators met this week in Geneva, and the White House said there has been “a little bit of progress,” though major differences remain. Trump—who is said to be seeking an end to Iran’s uranium enrichment and the dismantling of its ballistic-missile program—has reviewed options ranging from limited strikes on nuclear and missile targets to a broader campaign aimed at weakening the Iranian government and its regional proxies.
Some allies, especially Israel, are urging him to use military pressure to secure a tougher deal. Iran, which maintains a large missile arsenal and the capacity to threaten oil traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, is viewed by U.S. officials as stalling in hopes that a future American administration might adopt a different approach, the Journal reports.
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