World War Fears Erupt as U.S. Military Prepares for Strike ‘as Early as This Weekend’

As the tensions between the United States and Iran continue to escalate, U.S. military leaders are reportedly prepared to strike Iran by by February 21. However, the administration has yet to make a final decision on whether to launch an attack on the Middle-Eastern country.

According to sources quoted by CBS News, the U.S. military is in a strong position to attack Iran, with naval and aerial assets deployed close to Iranian territory. The aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln is already positioned about 435 miles from the Iranian coast, and the USS Gerald Ford is expected to arrive in the region soon.

But the final decision on military action rests with President Donald Trump, who is weighing the political and military consequences of war. The President is in constant contact with national security officials, but it is unclear whether he will make a decision by February 21.

The development comes as the United States and Iran are engage in indirect diplomatic talks. The first round of talks between the two nations was held in Oman on February 6, followed by the second round in Geneva on February 17. But the meetings have not led to any significant breakthrough so far.

The United States has made it clear that it wants Iran to limit its nuclear program. The Trump administration has reportedly given Tehran until the end of February 2026 to agree to significant concessions, including a total ban on uranium enrichment. Iran says its nuclear program is intended for peaceful purposes.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the United States could strike Iran for ‘many reasons and arguments.’ She said Iran should agree to their terms as the Trump administration would prefer to resolve the issue through diplomacy.

Leavitt said, “The president has always been very clear, though, with respect to Iran or any country around the world, diplomacy is always his first option, and Iran would be very wise to make a deal with President Trump and with this administration.”

She added, “He’s always thinking about what’s in the best interest of the United States of America, of our military, of the American people, and that’s how he makes decisions with respect to military action.”

As of now, the Trump administration has not made any official announcement about launching an attack on Iran by the weekend. But Iran has started gearing up for a possible U.S. strike as the regime has announced a joint naval drill with Russia.

Iranian Rear Admiral Hassan Maqsoudlou stated the drills are aimed at conveying a message of peace and preventing any unilateral action in the region. After the news of USS Gerald Ford heading to Iran came out, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei took to X to share an AI-generated picture of the aircraft carrier sunk beneath the sea.

Khamenei captioned the post, “Of course, a warship is a dangerous piece of military hardware. However, more dangerous than that warship is the weapon that can send that warship to the bottom of the sea.”