CBS says the US military is ready for possible Iran strikes as soon as Saturday, but Trump has not decided.
Summary:
CBS reports senior officials say the US military is ready for potential Iran strikes as soon as Saturday
Trump has not made a final decision; discussions are described as fluid and ongoing
Pentagon is moving some personnel out of the Middle East over the next three days as a precaution
CBS says the shift is standard practice and does not necessarily mean an attack is imminent
Rubio is expected to meet Netanyahu on Feb. 28, per officials (AP), amid ongoing Iran deliberations
A potential US military strike on Iran could come as soon as Saturday, according to CBS News, which cited sources familiar with internal discussions saying senior national security officials have told President Donald Trump the military is ready to act. The report stresses that Trump has not yet made a final decision, and that deliberations inside the White House remain fluid as officials weigh escalation risks against the political and military costs of restraint.
As part of preparations, CBS says the Pentagon is moving some personnel temporarily out of the Middle East region over the next three days, primarily to Europe or back to the United States, positioning the move as a precaution in the event of action or potential Iranian counterattacks if the US proceeds. One source told CBS that such shifts are standard practice ahead of potential military activity and do not necessarily indicate an attack is imminent. A Pentagon spokesperson, contacted by CBS, said there was no information to provide.
CBS also reports that the White House continues to publicly foreground diplomacy even as military planning advances. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said there are “many reasons and arguments” for a strike but described diplomacy as the president’s first option, while declining to discuss whether any operation would be coordinated with Israel.
On the regional posture, CBS says US force deployments are expected to be in place by mid-March, with the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier group already in the region and the USS Gerald R. Ford carrier group en route. The report also notes Iran and the US held mediated talks in Geneva on Iran’s nuclear program, with the administration indicating progress but saying major gaps remain and no follow-up date has been set.
Separately, AP reports Secretary of State Marco Rubio is expected to meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Feb. 28 to brief him on US-Iran talks, as Washington weighs next steps and continues to surge military resources to the region.
