US-Iran nuclear talks resume as both sides prepare militarily

The US Army has assembled one of the most important concentrations of naval and air power in the world The Middle East In decades – a force created not to deliver a limited strike, but to conduct sustained combat operations if ordered to do so. As diplomats in Geneva exchange proposals, the Pentagon has moved from a mere “show of force” to an operational base representing the largest concentration of US air power in the region since the Iraq War era.

The mathematics of war between two carriers

Two aircraft carrier groups are now working to stabilize the alignment.

The USS Abraham Lincoln operates in the Arabian Sea, supported by Arleigh Burke-class destroyers, including the USS Spruance, USS Michael Murphy, and USS Frank E. Petersen Jr., and USS Pinckney.

Crossing the Mediterranean is the strike group USS Gerald R. Ford, escorted by the destroyers USS Bainbridge and USS Mahan. Once the Ford arrived in theater, the Navy would create a dual carrier offensive posture rarely seen outside of major conflicts.

Under high-tempo conditions, a single carrier air wing can fly more than 100 sorties in a 24-hour period, depending on carrier support and target distance. With two carriers operating in parallel, planners could maintain continuous strike cycles – rotating decks so that aircraft would be launched from one carrier while the other was rearming and recovering.

This position allows for sustained pressure over several days rather than isolated waves.

Map of US Navy ships in the Middle East. (Fox News)

Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner flew to the USS Lincoln with Adam Cooper on Saturday, February 7, 2026, according to officials. (Central Command/X)

The map shows where the United States is building up military forces near Iran. (Fox News)

Hard targets and frequent strikes

The accumulation comes as satellite images Tehran reveals Accelerate defense preparations.

Commercial photographs published in a report by the Institute for Science and International Security (ISIS) show Iran reinforcing the Talghan 2 facility in Parchin with fresh concrete and overburden. Similar tightening operations are taking place at the entrances to the tunnels near Natanz.

“The fundamental issue is that all these efforts would complicate battle damage assessment (BDA) in the post-strike environment,” defense analyst Can Kasaboglu said. Hardened subterranean targets require repeated “training” strikes—multiple munitions on the same coordinates—followed by confirmation missions to determine whether facilities have been disabled.

This type of campaign requires sustained sorties and deep munitions reserves.

The world’s largest aircraft carrier is heading to the Middle East as Iranian nuclear tensions escalate dramatically

Suppression and depth of impact

While the Ministry of Defense has not released exact aircraft numbers, the regional air presence has expanded significantly.

Advanced fighters, including F-22 Raptors and F-35 Lightning IIs, were moved to regional centers. These stealth platforms are designed to suppress air defense systems such as the Iranian S-300 and Bavar-373 batteries.

Once air defenses are degraded, aircraft such as F-15E Strike Eagles and F/A-18 Super Hornets stationed on aircraft carriers will launch follow-up strikes against missile infrastructure, command nodes, and IRGC facilities.

Satellite images show the basic structure of the reconstructed Talghan 2 facility at Iran’s Parchin military complex inside a concrete “sarcophagus”, before it was covered with soil on February 13, 2026. (Photos from Vantur with explanations from ISIS)

The photos show a buried and fortified Iranian military facility. (Photos from Vantur with explanations from ISIS)

Dump trucks come and go near the entrances to military sites. (Photos from Vantur with explanations from ISIS)

Additional depth is provided by long-range launchers. The B-2 Spirit stealth bombers, operating from Whiteman Air Force Base with aerial refueling, are capable of flying 30-hour round-trip missions. They are the only platforms configured to fire the 30,000-pound GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP) missile against deeply buried targets.

Logistics backbone: a window of weeks

Senior US officials revealed that the Pentagon is preparing for “sustained operations that will last for weeks” if the conflict erupts – Al-Jarrahi Operation Midnight Hammer Strikes carried out in June 2025.

Defense analysts say the timeline reflects the realities of munitions burn rates and stockpiles at forward locations.

In high-intensity conflict simulations, forward-placed precision munitions can be significantly depleted in approximately three to four weeks, depending on sortie frequency and target density. After that point, forces will increasingly rely on resupply from the continental United States — a process that could take additional weeks to scale up to a full sea logistics bridge.

Operations may not cease, but the duration of the campaign will depend largely on regeneration cycles and industrial production, not just aircraft availability.

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There is no land invasion situation

Noticeably absent is the kind of troop mobilization associated with a ground invasion.

There are no large-scale army combat formations in Kuwait or Iraq to occupy. The focus remains on long-range strikes and precision airpower, a campaign designed to destroy targets from a distance rather than seize and control territory.

An F-18E fighter jet takes off from the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford as it sails during NATO exercise Neptune Strike 2025 on September 24, 2025 in the North Sea. (Jonathan Klein/AFP via Getty Images)

This distinction carries political weight.

January 2026 Quinnipiac University poll It found that 70% of American voters oppose a direct war with Iran, with higher resistance to deploying ground forces. “Talk about the possibility of the US military intervening in Iran’s internal chaos is receiving strong opposition, while voters point out that congressional approval should serve as a backstop against military intervention in any foreign crisis,” Quinnipiac analyst Tim Malloy said.

Threat of Retaliation: ‘All-out War’

Iranian officials warned that US bases in Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Turkey would be targeted if Washington launched an attack. Senior Iranian military figures said that any US strike would be treated as an “all-out war.”

In response, the United States distributed Patriot and THAAD missile defense batteries across regional hubs to protect its assets from potential missile retaliation.

Diplomacy is still on the table

Despite the military position… Talks are continuing. Iranian officials said they would return within weeks with additional proposals aimed at narrowing gaps in the negotiations.

President Trump has put this moment in stark terms.

“We have to make a deal, otherwise it will be very shocking,” Trump said this week, warning that Iran would face consequences if diplomacy collapses.

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“Having this much firepower in the region creates its own momentum,” said Susan Ziadeh, a former US ambassador. “Sometimes it’s a little hard to stop that momentum.”

The power now in position – from dual carriers to stealth bombers – is not built for one weekend strike, but for endurance.

Whether it is used, and for how long, will depend on decisions still unfolding at the negotiating table.