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The U.S. is in place for a “extremely kinetic” marketing campaign towards Iran after launching one in every of its largest latest navy buildups within the Middle East, a former senior Pentagon official has claimed.
Dana Stroul, now analysis director at The Washington Institute for Close to East Coverage, made the evaluation Sunday as Washington and Tehran put together for a second spherical of oblique nuclear talks in Oman.
“The US navy is prepared for a sustained, extremely kinetic marketing campaign ought to President Trump order it, and likewise ready to defend allies and companions within the Center East from Iran’s missiles,” Stroul instructed Fox Information Digital.
“The US navy can quickly reposition belongings from all around the world and deploy overwhelmingly deadly power in a brief time period to at least one theater,” she mentioned earlier than highlighting how there may be “no ally or enemy able to what we’ve seen from the US on this current buildup.”
PRESIDENT TRUMP’S IRAN BUILDUP MIRRORS 2003 IRAQ WAR SCALE AS TENSIONS ESCALATE
The world’s largest warship, U.S. plane provider USS Gerald R. Ford, on its method out of the Oslofjord at Nesodden and Bygdoy, Norway, September 17, 2025. (NTB/Lise Aserud by way of Reuters)
Describing how the present posture differs from the June 2025 strikes on Iranian-linked nuclear targets, Stroul mentioned the U.S. has expanded its offensive and defensive capabilities.
“Two US plane carriers and their accompanying vessels and air wings have been stationed within the Center East final summer time throughout the 12-day battle and the US operation Midnight Hammer,” she defined.
“The addition of the Ford is de facto vital, it expands US offensive capabilities if we go to battle with Iran,” she mentioned.
Whereas in June 2025, the US carried out restricted however extremely focused strikes towards Iranian nuclear infrastructure to degrade key services with out triggering a regional battle, now, Stroul mentioned the power posture is broader and extra sustained.
The US has additionally “elevated the variety of guided-missile destroyers, fighter plane, refuelers, and air protection techniques” within the area, she defined.
TRUMP SAYS IRAN HAS 15 DAYS TO REACH A DEAL OR FACE ‘UNFORTUNATE’ OUTCOME
An F/A-18F Tremendous Hornet, assigned to Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 41, prepares to make an arrested touchdown on the flight deck of the united statesAbraham Lincoln within the Pacific Ocean on Aug. 10, 2024. (U.S. Navy/Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Apprentice Daniel Kimmelman/Reuters)
The deployment of aircraft carriers equivalent to the united statesGerald R. Ford and USS Abraham Lincoln has assumed heightened strategic significance.
The united statesGerald R. Ford was not too long ago tracked transiting the Strait of Gibraltar eastward, whereas the united statesAbraham Lincoln is working within the Arabian Sea.
“They’ll each be within the Center East CENTCOM theater,” Stroul defined earlier than clarifying that there could possibly be “one within the japanese Mediterranean and the opposite within the Arabian Gulf.”
“There would in all probability be a mix of causes for that primarily based on availability, readiness, proximity to the Center East.
“The Ford was heading home and directed to show round,” she added.
Whereas the precise locations of the carriers haven’t been publicly disclosed for operational safety causes, their presence alone indicators escalatory leverage and deterrence.
WITKOFF WARNS IRAN IS ‘A WEEK AWAY’ FROM ‘BOMB-MAKING MATERIAL’ AS TRUMP WEIGHS ACTION
Omani International Minister Sayyid Badr Hamad Al Busaidi, US President Donald Trump’s Particular Consultant for the Center East, Steve Witkoff and U.S. negotiator Jared Kushner meet forward of the US-Iran talks, in Muscat, the capital of Oman, on February 06, 2026. (f Oman, on FebruarOman International Ministry/Anadolu by way of Getty Photographs)
The navy buildup comes as oblique diplomatic talks between Washington and Tehran proceed, with Oman as soon as once more serving as a mediator Feb. 26.
Stroul argued that Iran’s leadership is making an attempt to steadiness brinkmanship with negotiation.
“Iran’s leaders are taking part in a weak hand by combining saber-rattling about their very own capabilities, staging preparations and workouts to sign readiness,” she claimed.
“They’re trying to sluggish this down by pursuing negotiations. Nobody needs to be below any illusions in regards to the actuality of US dominance — Iran is totally outmatched in typical phrases,” Stroul mentioned.
BUILT FOR WEEKS OF WAR: INSIDE THE FIREPOWER THE US HAS POSITIONED IN THE MIDDLE EAST
Armed NOPO particular police items are on the scene as Iranians take to the streets within the downtown Enghelab (Revolution) Sq. in Tehran, Iran on June 24, 2025, to have a good time the ceasefire after a 12-day battle with Israel. (NEGAR/Center East Photographs/AFP by way of Getty Photographs)
“Israel dominated Iranian airspace in at some point final 12 months, focused a lot of Iran’s safety leaders, took out half of its missile arsenal, and the US considerably set again its nuclear program,” Stroul mentioned.
Iran’s long-cultivated community of proxies throughout the area — together with Hezbollah, Shiite militias in Iraq, and parts in Syria — has additionally been weakened after sustained Israeli navy stress.
“Iran’s long-cultivated community of proxies throughout the area is degraded after greater than two years of Israeli operations, they usually declined to enter the battle and assist Iran’s protection final summer time,” Stroul defined.
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“It doesn’t matter what Iran’s leaders say, Iran shouldn’t be capable of rebuild a decades-long undertaking in a number of months.”
“That mentioned, the US navy is able to execute no matter orders President Trump offers,” she mentioned. “It’s not a query of navy readiness, however a political choice.”
