Washington, Rome: Europe and the Arabs – Agencies

The administration of US President Donald Trump is nearing the launch of a military operation against Iran “very soon,” according to numerous sources within the US administration and Congress, as reported by Axios. These sources indicate that the operation against Tehran will take the form of a large-scale military campaign lasting for weeks, far more extensive than the military action taken against Iran last month in Venezuela.

This operation is likely to be a joint US-Israeli effort targeting Iran’s nuclear and missile programs and could have existential consequences for the regime in Tehran. In terms of scope and objectives, this intervention would far surpass the twelve-day war waged by Israel against Iran last June, which Washington later joined to strike underground nuclear facilities. According to the Italian news site Nova News on Wednesday, the confrontation between Washington and Tehran escalated in early January when Trump threatened to attack Iran in response to its crackdown on internal protests. After this move failed, the White House adopted a two-pronged approach: nuclear negotiations accompanied by a significant military buildup in the region. This buildup currently includes two aircraft carriers, dozens of warships, hundreds of fighter jets, and air defense systems.

More than 150 military cargo flights have delivered weapons and ammunition to the Middle East, while another 50 fighter jets—including F-35s, F-22s, and F-16s—were deployed to the region in the past 24 hours, according to sources cited by Axios. On the diplomatic front, Trump's envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Wittkopf met in Geneva on February 17 with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi for three hours of talks. Both sides spoke of "progress," but US sources indicate that fundamental differences remain. Vice President James David Vance said... Speaking to Fox News, Vance said the talks went well "in some respects," but stressed that the president had set "red lines" that Iran would not accept. He added that Trump intends to pursue an agreement, but may feel the diplomatic path "has reached its natural conclusion."

Meanwhile, reports indicate that Israel is preparing for a war scenario within days, adopting a hardline approach that includes regime change in Tehran. Some US sources believe it could take weeks before any attacks occur, while others suggest a shorter timeframe. Following the Geneva talks, reports indicated that Washington gave Tehran two weeks to present a detailed proposal.

Currently, as Axios writes, there are no concrete signs of a diplomatic breakthrough, and the military buildup and the administration's rhetoric suggest the possibility of a major escalation in the Middle East, with potential repercussions for the entire region and the remaining years of Trump's presidency.