U.S. Military Moves Into Place as Trump Weighs Strikes on Iran

The rapid U.S. military buildup in the Middle East has reached a point where President Trump could order strikes against Iran as soon as this weekend, even as indirect diplomatic talks continue. Iran asked for two weeks to return with detailed proposals; the talks produced what Iran’s foreign minister called a “set of guiding principles,” but major gaps remain.

Mr. Trump has given no indication that he has made a decision and has repeatedly demanded that Iran stop enriching uranium and curtail its nuclear program. The deployment includes dozens of refueling tankers, more than 50 fighter jets and two carrier strike groups, along with destroyers, cruisers and submarines.

The aircraft carrier U.S.S. Gerald R. Ford is on its way to join the U.S.S. Abraham Lincoln and could be positioned near the coast of Israel to help defend Tel Aviv. The Pentagon has also moved Patriot and THAAD air-defense systems into the region, and American B-2 and other long-range bombers are on higher alert.

Israel, Tel Aviv

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