The Washington Post reports that the United States has amassed an unprecedented concentration of military power in the Middle East, including roughly one-third of its active naval fleet, a deployment that would allow Washington to carry out anything from limited, targeted strikes to a wide-ranging bombing campaign against Iran.

The report comes amid recent claims that elements within the U.S. military establishment oppose a potential strike on Iran being considered by President Donald Trump. According to the Post’s counter-report, however, the scale and scope of the current buildup signal that the administration now has a full spectrum of operational options at its disposal.

According to the report, the U.S. military has assembled forces sufficient to sustain either a prolonged military campaign or a series of focused, limited strikes. Contrary to earlier reports suggesting a short, five-day intensive assault, the Post indicated that the American forces currently positioned in the region could support a broader and more significant operation.

Dana Stroul, former deputy assistant secretary of defense for the Middle East, told the newspaper that the massive concentration of forces gives President Trump the ability to implement virtually any operational decision, ranging from limited missions to an extensive kinetic campaign.

Defense analysts cited in the report assessed that the military assets now in place point to preparations for a multi-day air operation, though not one that would include a ground invasion.

The scale of the U.S. military presence in the region is considered one of the largest in more than two decades, rivaling levels seen in the lead-up to the Iraq War in 2003.

The buildup follows the conclusion of a second round of nuclear talks between the United States and Iran on February 17 that ended without a breakthrough, as well as President Trump’s warnings that Iran could face military action if no agreement is reached to curb its nuclear ambitions.

While Tehran has maintained that an agreement remains achievable but requires additional time, Washington has accelerated its force deployments beyond the reinforcements observed prior to American strikes last June.

Flight tracking data and satellite imagery cited in the report show that more than 150 aircraft have been transferred to bases in the Middle East and Europe since the collapse of negotiations.

The aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford arrived Monday off the coast of Crete carrying dozens of aircraft, joining the USS Abraham Lincoln, which is currently stationed off the coast of Oman.

The arrival of the Ford underscores that approximately one-third of the United States’ active naval vessels are now concentrated in the Middle East region.

Jordan’s Muwaffaq Salti Air Base has become a central hub for U.S. forces. Satellite images from Friday reportedly showed more than 60 aircraft stationed there, including F-35 fighter jets used to neutralize air defense systems.

At the same time, more than half of the recently deployed aircraft have landed at bases in Europe. Experts cited in the report explained that positioning aircraft in Europe places them outside the range of Iranian missile systems, reducing their vulnerability while preserving the ability to rapidly move personnel and equipment as needed.

The reinforcements also include the deployment of one-third of the U.S. fleet of E-3G Sentry airborne early warning aircraft, as well as F-22 fighter jets stationed in the United Kingdom and F-16 aircraft positioned in Portugal.

U.S. defense officials confirmed the large-scale deployment but declined to provide specific operational details for security reasons. Military analysts noted that the emerging strategy appears designed to enable swift, high-intensity action while minimizing the risks of severe retaliatory strikes.

{Matzav.com}