WASHINGTON

The Pentagon is actively planning to deploy a second aircraft carrier strike group to the Middle East, according to a report published Wednesday citing three US officials, as President Donald Trump hangs the specter of war over ongoing negotiations with Iran.

Trump said Tuesday that he is considering sending a second aircraft carrier to the region, and one of the anonymous officials told The Wall Street Journal newspaper that his order to deploy could come within hours.

The officials said the president has yet to formally give the order to deploy. The Pentagon is, however, readying the strike group to deploy, likely from the East Coast, within two weeks.

The Journal said the USS George H.W. Bush aircraft carrier is currently conducting training exercises off the coast of Virginia and cited the anonymous officials as saying that the exercises could be expedited.

The Pentagon declined to comment on the report.

The US has significantly increased its military footprint in the region as Trump warns Iran that it must make a deal. Already, the US has deployed the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier from the South China Sea.

Trump met Wednesday behind closed doors with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Following the sit-down, the US president said: "There was nothing definitive reached other than I insisted that negotiations with Iran continue to see whether or not a deal can be consummated."

"If it can, I let the prime minister know that will be a preference," Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.

"If it cannot, we will just have to see what the outcome will be. Last time Iran decided that they were better off not making a deal, and they were hit with (Operation) Midnight Hammer — That did not work well for them. Hopefully this time they will be more reasonable and responsible," he added.