The U.S. military is reportedly preparing: once Trump orders an attack on Iran, the operation could last for several weeks!

Caixin News Agency, February 14 (Editor: Bian Chun) According to reports from Global Times and other media outlets, two U.S. officials have stated that the U.S. military is preparing for actions that could last several weeks if President Trump orders an attack on Iran.

This could escalate into an unprecedented serious conflict between the two countries.

The officials mentioned that the current operational planning is more complex than before. One official indicated that during ongoing military operations, U.S. forces may target Iran’s nuclear infrastructure as well as its government institutions and security facilities.

The official also stated that the U.S. fully expects Iran to retaliate, creating a cycle of back-and-forth strikes and reprisals over a period of time.

Experts note that because Iran possesses a large arsenal of missile weapons, conducting such operations against Iran would pose higher risks to U.S. forces, and Iran’s retaliatory strikes could further escalate regional conflicts.

In June last year, Israel’s raid on Iran triggered the “12-Day War” between the two sides. During this period, the U.S. launched the “Midnight Hammer” operation, bombing key Iranian nuclear facilities. However, at that time, U.S. actions were essentially one-off strikes. Iran responded with very limited retaliatory attacks on a U.S. military base in Qatar.

U.S.-Iran Diplomatic Efforts Face Greater Risks

The information disclosed by U.S. officials indicates that the ongoing diplomatic efforts between the U.S. and Iran are at increased risk.

Last week, U.S. and Iranian diplomats held indirect talks in Oman, restarting the diplomatic negotiations on the Iran nuclear issue that had been interrupted since the U.S. airstrike on Iranian nuclear facilities in June 2025. This somewhat eased concerns about a new military conflict.

Before last week’s U.S.-Iran negotiations, Trump had already mobilized military forces in the Middle East. Although both sides signaled a willingness to continue negotiations after their meeting, war alerts remained in place.

On the 13th, Trump confirmed that the U.S. military will deploy a second aircraft carrier strike group to the Middle East to pressure Iran into reaching an agreement with the U.S..

In an interview with the media at the White House, Trump said that if the U.S. and Iran fail to reach an agreement, “we will need it (the second carrier).” He also stated that if an agreement is reached, the U.S. aircraft carrier will “leave very soon.”

On the same day, at a U.S. military base in North Carolina, he also discussed the Iran situation, saying it is currently “very difficult to reach an agreement with Iran.” “Sometimes, you have to use fear; sometimes, it’s the only way to resolve things,” he said.

Iran has stated that if attacked, it will retaliate against Israel and U.S. targets in the Middle East.

The U.S. maintains numerous military bases across the Middle East, including in Jordan, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, and Turkey.