— U.S. Military Buildup Raises Tensions in the Middle East
President Donald J. Trump has approved plans for a military strike on Iran but is holding off on executing the operation until Tehran fully abandons its nuclear program, according to a report by The Wall Street Journal citing sources close to the administration.
One of the possible targets identified is Iran’s Fordow enrichment facility—a fortified, underground nuclear site buried deep beneath a mountain, which is considered impervious to most conventional weapons. Only the most advanced bunker-busting munitions in the U.S. arsenal are capable of reaching it.
The report reveals that while the strike plans are ready, President Trump is using the threat of military action as leverage to pressure Iranian authorities into halting uranium enrichment and dismantling parts of their nuclear infrastructure.
In parallel, the United States has ramped up its military posture in the region. A third U.S. Navy destroyer has moved into the eastern Mediterranean, while a second carrier strike group is sailing toward the Arabian Sea. The Pentagon insists these are defensive deployments aimed at protecting American interests and allies in the region.
However, analysts warn that the buildup provides Washington with strategic flexibility—either to assist Israel in any direct confrontation with Iran or to intensify pressure on the Iranian regime by demonstrating credible military readiness.
This development comes as negotiations on Iran’s nuclear ambitions remain deadlocked, with Western powers demanding full transparency and restrictions, while Tehran continues to assert its right to peaceful nuclear development.
The Fordow site remains central to the standoff. Its heavily shielded design and advanced centrifuge technology have long been sources of international concern, with fears that Iran could use the facility to rapidly produce weapons-grade material if it chose to exit nonproliferation agreements.
President Trump’s decision to approve strike options, even conditionally, marks a critical escalation and raises concerns about a potential military confrontation that could destabilize the broader Middle East.
While diplomatic channels remain open, this latest revelation sends a clear signal: the U.S. under President Trump is prepared to use force if necessary to prevent Iran from becoming a nuclear-armed state.