Yasin Gungor
18 February 2026•Update: 21 February 2026
ISTANBUL
A potential US-Israeli military operation against Iran could be a massive, weeks-long campaign that is broad enough to threaten the survival of the Iranian regime, Axios reported Wednesday, citing sources familiar with the matter.
The Trump administration is said to be on the verge of a significant military confrontation in the Middle East, with Israeli officials already preparing for the possibility of war breaking out within days, according to the outlet.
And Israel is preparing for immediate action, with American sources suggesting the US military may need more preparation. "I think there is 90% chance we see kinetic action in the next few weeks," one Trump adviser told Axios.
Military buildup, diplomacy
Washington has significantly stepped up its military presence in the region, deploying the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group with USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier on its way to the region, along with additional fighter jets.
The buildup runs alongside diplomatic efforts. US and Iranian officials held a second round of nuclear talks Tuesday in Geneva. US Vice President JD Vance described negotiations as productive "in some ways," but said Tehran was "not yet willing" to engage on some of US President Donald Trump's "red lines."
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said talks showed progress, describing the atmosphere as "more constructive."
The Geneva meeting was the second round of negotiations since Trump ordered strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities last June. The first round was held in Muscat, Oman, on Feb. 6.
