Images of the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group sailing and flying in formation were released on Sunday (February 15) as the U.S. military prepares for the possibility of sustained, weeks-long operations against Iran if President Donald Trump orders an attack, two U.S. officials told Reuters.

The disclosure by the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the planning, raises the stakes for the diplomacy underway between the United States and Iran.

U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner will hold negotiations with Iran on Tuesday (February 10) in Geneva, with representatives from Oman acting as mediators. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio cautioned on Saturday (February 14) that while Trump's preference was to reach a deal with Tehran, "that’s very hard to do."

Meanwhile, Trump has amassed military forces in the region, raising fears of new military action. U.S. officials said on Friday (February 13) the Pentagon was sending an additional aircraft carrier to the Middle East, adding thousands more troops along with fighter aircraft, guided-missile destroyers and other firepower capable of waging attacks and defending against them.

Trump, speaking on Friday after a military event at Fort Bragg in North Carolina, openly floated the possibility of changing the government in Iran.

Trump has long voiced skepticism about sending ground troops into Iran. The array of U.S. firepower in the Middle East so far suggest options for strikes primarily by air and naval forces. In Venezuela, Trump demonstrated a willingness to rely also on special operations forces to seize that country's president, Nicolas Maduro, in a raid last month.

Asked for comment on the preparations for a potentially sustained U.S. military operation, White House spokesperson Anna Kelly said: "President Trump has all options on the table with regard to Iran."

Posted by: AAngeles/NET25 News