U.S. military steps up planning for extended Iran campaign: report

U.S. defense officials are quietly preparing for the possibility of a longer-lasting military operation against Iran if President Donald Trump orders one, according to senior sources cited by Reuters. 

Current planning envisions a campaign that could stretch for weeks, the report indicated.

Officials familiar with the Pentagon’s assessments said this would represent a significantly more serious level of engagement than previous confrontations between Washington and Tehran. 

The preparations arrive amid ongoing diplomatic talks and heightened tensions in the region.

While military planners refine options for a prolonged campaign, U.S. envoys and Iranian representatives are meeting in Geneva for nuclear negotiations, with mediation by Oman. These talks aim to revive dialogue over Iran’s nuclear program, even as both sides stake out firm positions.

At the same time, the U.S. has reinforced its presence in the Middle East. The Navy’s USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier has been ordered to join the USS Abraham Lincoln in the region, signaling a build-up of military capability and readiness.