In recent weeks, the USA has significantly increased its military presence in the Middle East, including with the aircraft carrier “USS Abraham Lincoln”.Image: EPA
Feb 19, 2026, 1:03 p.mFeb 19, 2026, 1:06 p.m
Following the recent nuclear negotiations between the US and Iran, there are increasing indications that war may be imminent. When asked about US President Donald Trump’s considerations about possible military action against Iran, US government spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said there were many arguments that could be made in favor of an attack. At the same time, she reiterated that diplomacy was always Trump’s first choice. It would be “very wise” for Iran to reach an agreement with the US President, said Leavitt.
These are the latest developments.
Reports about the possible start of war
The US broadcaster CBS News cited informed sources as saying senior national security officials had told Trump that the military was prepared to carry out attacks on Iran as early as Saturday. But Trump has not yet made a final decision about a possible attack. The White House is currently weighing the “risks of escalation and the political and military consequences of restraint,” the station reported.
The US news portal “Axios” also cited unnamed sources as saying that the U.S. government is closer to a major war than most Americans realize. It could begin “very soon” and would have a “dramatic impact” on the entire region, it was said. There is also speculation in the Israeli media about a possible military confrontation between the USA and Iran, which could begin in the next few days and would probably last several weeks.
Skepticism after negotiations remains high
On Tuesday there was a second round of negotiations between Washington and Tehran in Geneva over, among other things, Iran’s controversial nuclear program. Iran then dampened hopes of a quick breakthrough. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the path to an agreement had begun. US government circles said that although progress had been made, there were still many details to be clarified.
A senior US official said the Iranian side plans to come back in the next two weeks with “detailed proposals to resolve some of the outstanding differences between our positions.” The USA wants to prevent the leadership in Tehran from acquiring nuclear weapons. Iran’s government says it is willing to limit its nuclear program, but in return demands the lifting of tough economic sanctions. Tehran has so far ruled out other topics such as limiting its missile program.
Report: Iran is also preparing for possible war
The Iranian leadership is seeking a nuclear agreement with the United States, but at the same time is hastily preparing for war if negotiations between the two countries fail, the Wall Street Journal reported. Tehran is strengthening the military, diversifying decision-making powers, strengthening nuclear facilities and taking more action against dissenters in its own country. The measures reflected the Iranian leadership’s belief that the survival of the power apparatus itself was at stake, it said.
In recent weeks, the USA has significantly increased its military presence in the Middle East, including with the aircraft carrier “USS Abraham Lincoln”. A second aircraft carrier has since been dispatched to the region. According to information from the US newspaper “Wall Street Journal”, other warships, air defense systems and fighter squadrons are already in the Gulf region. According to Axios, the US military transported weapons systems and ammunition to the Middle East on more than 150 flights. In addition, another 50 combat aircraft have set off there in the past 24 hours alone.
In the past 24 hours alone, another 50 US fighter jets were deployed to the Middle East.Image: keystone
Loud “Wall Street Journal” It is the largest concentration of US air forces in the Middle East since the Iraq War in 2003. British and American forces began this with the air offensive “Fear and Horror” (Shock and Awe). The war, which lasted more than eight years, had a very destabilizing effect on Iraq.
If war breaks out, the USA would again be able to act together with its ally Israel, sources quoted by Axios and the US broadcaster CNN said. It was said that military action would be more extensive than the twelve-day war waged by Israel against its archenemy in June 2025, which the USA joined. Israel’s attack came just a day before a planned round of further negotiations between Washington and Tehran over Iran’s nuclear program. The US military joined Israel less than a week later and bombed Iran’s nuclear facilities.
Report: Israel raises alert
Iran responded with massive rocket attacks on Israeli cities, including Tel Aviv. Israel has now again raised its alert and is increasing its military preparations amid increasing signs of a possible joint US-Israeli attack on Iran in the coming days, CNN quoted two Israeli sources as saying. If this really happens, it could be the most consequential US military intervention in the Middle East in at least a decade, wrote Axios.
Rubio expected in Israel next week
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.Image: keystone
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio plans to travel to Israel on February 28 for talks with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, a senior US official told the German Press Agency. Details about the planned content of the conversation were not initially given. Just last week, Netanyahu met with US President Trump in Washington.
In his own words, Trump “insisted” that negotiations with Tehran continue to find out whether a deal was possible. However, Israel has long been warning against an agreement with Iran that is limited only to the country’s nuclear program. The Jewish state is demanding that its arch-enemy also scale down its ballistic missile arsenal and support for its allies in the region.
Israel’s president hopes for a change of power in Iran
From Israel’s perspective, Iran threatens the existence of the Jewish state with its possible plans to produce nuclear weapons. Tehran denies pursuing such goals. Israeli President Izchak Herzog says he hopes for an end to the current leadership of the Islamic Republic and its allies. These include the Palestinian terrorist organization Hamas in the Gaza Strip, the Hezbollah militia in Lebanon and the Houthi militia in Yemen.
“I sincerely hope and pray that this reign of terror ends and we will see a different era in the Middle East – one in which all these proxies are gone and there is a different future for the children of the Middle East,” Israel’s president said, according to his office. (sda/dpa/ome)
Iranian and Russian navies practice in the Gulf of Oman
Iran and Russia are conducting a joint naval exercise off the coast of the Islamic Republic – in the strategically important Gulf of Oman and the adjacent northern Indian Ocean. According to the Isna news agency, in addition to the Russian and Iranian naval units, the Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) are also involved. Against the background of growing tensions in the region, the maneuver is becoming even more explosive. The USA has recently repeatedly discussed military action against Iran. The Revolutionary Guards had already held a military maneuver in the northwestern Strait of Hormuz on Monday and fired rockets at targets in the Persian Gulf. This was intended to demonstrate the IRGC’s operational readiness in the event of a possible US attack. Parts of the strait were closed to shipping traffic for several hours earlier this week for safety reasons. The Strait of Hormuz is considered one of the most important international shipping routes, transporting more than 20 percent of the world’s oil shipments.