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Snapshot 7:Thu, Feb 19, 2026 5:56:10 PM GMT last edited by Brian

US Military Prepared to Attack Iran as Trump Suggests 10-Day Decision Window

US Military ReadyPrepared forto Attack Iran Strikeas by Weekend, Trump YetSuggests to10-Day MakeDecision DecisionWindow

US Military Prepared to Attack Iran as Trump Suggests 10-Day Decision Window
Above: The USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78), F/A-18E/F Super Hornets from Carrier Air Wing Eight, and a U.S. Air Force B-52 Stratofortress on Nov. 13, 2025. Image credit: Paige Brown/US Navy/Getty Images

The Spin

The Trump administration's military buildup and sharpened rhetoric reflect a pattern of strategic drift. The administration appears to move between diplomacy and coercion without a clearly defined framework for assessing Iran's capabilities, internal stability, or deterrence thresholds. Analysts caution that assumptions about internal fragility or reliance on external pressure from Israel may distort judgment, weaken long-term strategy, and ultimately raise the risk of a serious miscalculation.

Military readiness is not recklessness but a necessary form of deterrence against a brutal regime that threatens regional stability while advancing its nuclear program. Iran's continued fortification of nuclear sites and high-profile military exercises suggest that diplomatic outreach may coexist with ongoing escalation. With forces positioned and options prepared, sustained and credible pressure is seen by supporters as the clearest way to push Tehran toward meaningful concessions before the window for diplomacy narrows.

Metaculus Prediction

There is a 30% chance that the United States and Iran will sign a new agreement restricting Iran's nuclear program before 2029, according to the Metaculus prediction community.


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© 2026 Improve the News Foundation.

All rights reserved.

Version 6.18.0