President Donald Trump recently dispatched the world’s largest aircraft carrier to the Middle East amid diplomatic talks with Iran — with a warning that, should the Islamic Republic refuse a nuclear deal, a U.S. assault “far worse” than last June’s Operation Midnight Hammer will be the consequence.
The president, during remarks at the Board of Peace meeting on Thursday, said he will decide “over the next 10 days” whether he will order a strike on Iran.
“We may have to take it a step further or we may not,” he said. “Maybe we’re going to make a deal.”
The USS Gerald R. Ford is set to become the keystone of the Pentagon’s naval armada in the region. It will soon join about a dozen warships, including the carrier USS Abraham Lincoln, operating in Central Command’s area of responsibility, U.S. officials told Military Times.
Kevin Donegan, a retired vice admiral and former top Navy commander in the Middle East, said in an interview with Military Times that the movements are clearly intended “to [pressure] the Iranians to come to a negotiated settlement,” while conveying the message that force is a credible option if diplomacy fails.
“There also has to be, behind that, a potential will to use that force to achieve something, if needed, because the objectives weren’t achieved in another way,” Donegan added, noting that an aircraft carrier offers distinct advantages since it can be positioned close to the frontline while enabling as many as 120 sorties a day.
Iran’s supreme leader on Tuesday hit back on X, pledging to send the warships “to the bottom of the sea.”
“The Americans constantly say that they’ve sent a warship toward Iran,” Ali Khamenei wrote in a post. “Of course, a warship is a dangerous piece of military hardware. However, more dangerous than the warship is the weapon that can send that warship to the bottom of the sea.”
Donegan says the threats from Iran are “expected” given that the regime needs to show it has some kind of leverage as negotiations continue. But he maintained that American military equipment has been “successful against Iran in the past.”
The Ford’s deployment, however, comes despite concerns expressed by Adm. Daryl Caudle, the chief of naval operations, who warned against extending the carrier’s mission as it approaches its eighth month at sea, citing maintenance demands and the strain on its 4,000-strong crew.
“I think the Ford, from its capability perspective, would be an invaluable option for any military thing the president wants to do,” the Navy’s top uniformed officer told reporters last month. “But if it requires an extension, it’s going to get some push back. And I will see if there is something else I can do.”
Trump, who was asked by Military Times aboard Air Force One on Monday if U.S. carriers are being stretched too thin, declined to respond.
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said his department “will be prepared to deliver whatever the president expects” if Tehran spurns a nuclear deal, a signal that a sustained military campaign is still on the table.
Yet Hegseth, speaking to reporters on Thursday, insisted that “our hope is that we never have to use that.”
“The president is a negotiator looking for a deal,” Hegseth added. “It would be wise for Iran to see that deal.”
Open-source flight tracking data suggests that, beyond the fleet, the Pentagon is rapidly massing additional airpower in and adjacent to the region.
Dozens of aircraft, including F-16 Fighting Falcons, F-22 Raptors and F-35 Lightning II, have been flowing within striking distance of Iran.
Refueling tankers, essential to a prolonged air campaign, and EA-18G Growlers, used to disrupt enemy attacks, have also been repositioned closer to the region, according to CENTCOM and flight tracking data.
Military analysts have also told Military Times that submarines have likely joined the deployment as well.
All of this takes place as indirect talks between American and Iranian officials appear to have made some progress.
On Tuesday, envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner met with an Iranian delegation in Geneva and agreed on a “set of guiding principles,” Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said following the meeting.
The White House, for its part, says the discussions achieved “a little bit of progress,” though substantial gaps between the two sides remain.
“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,” Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, said in a briefing on Wednesday.
“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,” she added.
Tanya Noury is a reporter for Military Times and Defense News, with coverage focusing on the White House and Pentagon.
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