Trump weighs limited strike on Iran as U.S. deploys largest aircraft carrier to Mediterranean

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday that he is considering a limited military strike as a lever for getting a deal out of Iran, signaling a potential escalation as Washington intensifies military pressure across the Middle East.

Speaking to reporters at the White House, Trump confirmed he was weighing military options but declined to elaborate. Later, during a press briefing, he warned Tehran to accept what he called a "fair deal," underscoring that diplomatic efforts remain under strain.

Analysts say the Trump administration appears to be pursuing a strategy of maximum military pressure to extract concessions at the negotiating table. Yet Washington's hesitation to act reflects significant strategic and political concerns.

They said that U.S. officials are concerned that even a "limited" strike could spiral into a broader, prolonged conflict, stretching American resources. There are also worries that a regional war could disrupt global energy markets and harm the U.S. economy.

Domestic politics add another layer of caution. A January poll by Quinnipiac University found that 70 percent of U.S. voters oppose military action against Iran. With congressional midterm elections approaching, a costly or inconclusive conflict – particularly one that disrupts oil markets or harms the U.S. economy - could carry significant political consequences for the administration.

U.S. intensifies military pressure

Currently, U.S. military preparations appear to be accelerating.

The Wall Street Journal reported Thursday that if Iran refuses to comply with U.S. demands to curb its nuclear program, the Trump administration would respond with a broad campaign against government facilities – potentially aimed at "regime change."

"Regime change" in Iran would be "the best thing that could happen," Trump said last week.

Two American officials said Pentagon planning for potential action against Iran has entered an advanced phase. Options under review reportedly include targeted strikes against specific individuals and – if authorized by Trump – measures that could destabilize or even topple Tehran's leadership.

Officials said planners are drafting increasingly precise strike scenarios while awaiting the president's final decision. One U.S. official referenced Israel's 12-day conflict with Iran last year, arguing that targeted strikes against command-level figures – particularly within Iran's Revolutionary Guard – demonstrated operational feasibility. However, he acknowledged such missions require high-grade intelligence and carry risks of unintended casualties and broader escalation.

The U.S. has already positioned substantial forces in the region, including carrier strike groups and combat aircraft. Strategic bombers based in the United States could also be deployed if ordered.

In the latest move, the USS Gerald R. Ford and an escorting destroyer were sighted near Gibraltar on Friday before entering the Mediterranean Sea. The Ford, - the largest nuclear-powered aircraft carrier in the U.S. fleet, is expected to join the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group currently stationed in the Persian Gulf, significantly boosting U.S. naval firepower in the region. The deployment follows a White House order to send a second carrier to the Middle East. 

Iran calls for diplomacy while stepping up drills

Tehran, meanwhile, is sending a dual message: diplomacy remains possible, but deterrence is on full display.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Friday that Iran's peaceful nuclear program "has no military solution" and that negotiations are the only viable path forward. He said both sides want to reach an agreement quickly, but the challenge lies in securing a "fair, win-win and just" outcome.

Araghchi stated that Iran is drafting a proposed agreement for discussion at the next round of talks and expects to complete it within three days. Once approved by senior leadership, the draft would be handed to U.S. presidential envoy Steve Witkoff for further negotiation.

At the same time, Iran has intensified military exercises. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy conducted live-fire exercises in the Strait of Hormuz on February 16 and 17, launching new missiles and rehearsing drone strike operations. On February 19, Iran's navy carried out joint drills with Russia in the Sea of Oman and the northern Indian Ocean.

In a formal letter to the UN Security Council, Iran's permanent mission said Tehran does not seek war and will not initiate conflict. However, it warned that any military aggression would be met with retaliation, and all bases and assets of "hostile forces" in the region would become legitimate targets.