The U.S. Continues to Deploy Troops Around Iran
The second round of indirect negotiations between the United States and Iran was held on February 17 in Geneva, Switzerland. Officials from both sides stated after the talks that, although differences remain, progress was made compared to the previous round, and both sides agreed to continue engagement.
While the U.S. and Iran are engaged in indirect negotiations, the U.S. is continuously strengthening its military deployment around Iran.
According to U.S. sources on the 17th, the USS Ford aircraft carrier and its escort vessels are crossing the Atlantic Ocean, heading towards the Strait of Gibraltar. This is also the second aircraft carrier strike group the U.S. has dispatched to the vicinity of Iran.
On the 12th, U.S. sources reported that the USS Ford and its escort vessels had been ordered to move from the Caribbean to the Middle East.
Prior to this, the USS Lincoln carrier strike group arrived in the Middle East in January 2026 and is currently operating in waters near Oman.
It is reported that the U.S. military has also deployed more than a dozen other types of warships, hundreds of aircraft, and multiple air defense systems in the Middle East, and has utilized over 150 military transport flights to transport weapons and ammunition to the region.
Two Israeli sources stated on the 18th local time that there are signs that the U.S. and Israel may launch a joint attack on Iran in the coming days. Israel has raised its national alert level, and the Israeli rear command and other emergency agencies have also been instructed to "prepare for war." The sources revealed that Israel has been skeptical of the U.S.-Iran negotiations for several weeks and has been accelerating its operational plans and defensive deployments.
Additionally, U.S. sources on the 18th indicated that there are currently no signs that diplomatic negotiations between the U.S. and Iran will achieve a breakthrough. Meanwhile, an increasing amount of evidence suggests that U.S. military action against Iran is "imminent". Analysts suggest that if the U.S. launches military action against Iran, it is likely that the U.S. and Israel will act jointly, and the scale will be much larger than the "12-Day War" in June of last year, posing a greater "existential threat" to Iran and having far-reaching implications for the entire region.
The U.S. Navy is reinforcing military deployments around Iran, with the Ford-class aircraft carrier moving towards the Gibraltar Strait. Concurrently, the Lincoln carrier strike group operates near Oman. Israel has heightened its alert level, preparing for possible joint military action with the U.S. against Iran, as diplomatic negotiations show no signs of progress. Over 150 military transport flights have delivered equipment to the region, indicating an imminent military operation.
- U.S. Navy's Ford-class carrier is en route to the Gibraltar Strait from the Atlantic Ocean.
- The Lincoln carrier strike group is currently operating near Oman.
- Israel has raised its national alert level in anticipation of potential U.S.-Israeli military action against Iran.
- Over 150 military transport flights have delivered weapons and ammunition to the Middle East.
- Diplomatic negotiations between the U.S. and Iran show no signs of breakthrough, increasing military tensions.