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Akbar Novruz

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The US military is prepared to carry out a potential strike against Iran as early as this weekend, although Donald Trump has not yet made a final decision, sources familiar with the matter told CNN, AzerNEWS reports.

According to the sources, the White House has been briefed that US forces could be operationally ready by the weekend following a significant buildup of air and naval assets across the Middle East in recent days. However, officials cautioned that Trump has privately argued both for and against military action and has consulted advisers and allies on the best course forward.

Senior national security officials convened Wednesday in the White House Situation Room to assess the situation. Trump was also briefed by Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner on indirect talks with Iran held a day earlier. It remains unclear whether the president intends to make a decision by the weekend.

“He is spending a lot of time thinking about this,” one source said.

Indirect negotiations between Iranian and US representatives took place Tuesday in Geneva, where negotiators exchanged messages for more than three hours but failed to reach a clear breakthrough. Iran’s lead negotiator said the sides agreed on a “set of guiding principles,” while a US official said significant details remain unresolved.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Wednesday that Iran is expected to clarify its negotiating position in the coming weeks, but declined to say whether Trump would refrain from authorizing military action during that period.

“I’m not going to set deadlines on behalf of the president of the United States,” Leavitt said, adding that while diplomacy remains Trump’s preferred option, the use of force has not been ruled out.

“There are many reasons and arguments that one could make for a strike against Iran,” she said, noting that the president is relying primarily on advice from his national security team.

The lack of clarity from US officials has fueled growing concern over a possible military confrontation, even as diplomatic channels remain open. The USS Gerald R. Ford, the most advanced aircraft carrier in the US Navy, could arrive in the region as early as this weekend amid the ongoing buildup.

In parallel, US Air Force assets stationed in the United Kingdom, including refueling tankers and fighter jets, are being repositioned closer to the Middle East, according to sources familiar with the movements.