<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/usa" rel="" target="_blank" title="US"><span>US</span></a><span> military is prepared to strike </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/iran" rel="" target="_blank" title="Iran"><span>Iran</span></a><span> as early as this weekend, though President </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/donald-trump" rel="" target="_blank" title="Donald Trump"><span>Donald Trump</span></a><span> has yet to make a final decision on whether he'll authorise such actions, sources familiar with the matter tell CNN.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The White House has been briefed that the military could be ready for an attack by the weekend, after a significant buildup in recent days of air and naval assets in the Middle East, the sources said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>But one source cautioned that Trump has privately argued both for and against military action and polled advisers and allies on what the best course of action is. It was not clear if he would make a decision by the weekend.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/mark-zuckerberg-to-testify-in-social-media-addiction-trial/c4f2e056-f4d5-42e1-b955-668aba56a378" rel="" target="_blank" title=""><strong><span>Mark Zuckerberg quizzed on children's Instagram use in social media trial</span></strong></a><strong><span></span></strong></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"He is spending a lot of time thinking about this," one source said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The US's readiness to strike by the weekend was </span><a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-possible-timeline-iran-strikes/" rel="" target="_blank" title=""><span>first reported by CBS News</span></a><span>.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Iranian and US negotiators passed notes for three-and-a-half hours earlier this week during indirect talks in Geneva, though they departed with no clear resolution. Iran's top negotiator said both sides had agreed upon a "set of guiding principles," though an American official said "there are still a lot of details to discuss."</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/world/us-ready-to-attack-iran-this-weekend-but-donald-trump-not-yet-decided/faaf1088-4489-47a0-bb53-3a9249bb7b5c" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/billionaire-les-wexner-says-he-was-duped-by-adviser-jeffrey-epstein-a-worldclass-con-man/7fa7dd1f-5306-4269-a43c-d12fbad4f9c2" rel="" target="_blank" title=""><strong><span>Billionaire says he was duped by 'world-class con man' Jeffrey Epstein</span></strong></a><strong><span></span></strong></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said today that Iran was expected to provide more details on its negotiating position "in the next couple of weeks," but she wouldn't say whether Trump would hold off on military action within that timespan.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is expected to travel to Israel on February 28 to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and update him on the Iran talks, a State Department official told CNN.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"I'm not going to set deadlines on behalf of the president of the United States," Leavitt said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/donald-trump-tells-uk-not-to-lease-diego-garcia/18c268ac-bd59-4d85-969f-2121b2f39826" rel="" target="_blank" title=""><strong><span>Trump warns UK against giving away key military base</span></strong></a><strong><span></span></strong></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>She added that while "diplomacy is always his first option," military action remains on the table.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"There's many reasons and arguments that one could make for a strike against Iran," she said, adding Trump was relying on counsel from his national security team "first and foremost."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The opaque statements have fueled increasing fears of military conflict between the two nations – even as officials ostensibly hold out hope for diplomacy.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/israel-raises-alert-level-fears-of-us-israel-strike-on-iran/ee0f01a5-5540-48f7-9f20-303e12db5162" rel="" target="_blank" title=""><strong><span>Israel raises alert level ahead of potential joint US-Israel attack on Iran, sources say</span></strong></a><strong><span></span></strong></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The USS Gerald Ford – the most advanced carrier group in the US arsenal – could arrive in the region as soon as this weekend, after a flurry of other military buildup.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>US Air Force assets based in the UK, including refuelling tankers and fighter jets, are being repositioned closer to the Middle East, according to sources familiar with the movements.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>For its part, Iran is fortifying several of its nuclear facilities, using concrete and large amounts of soil to bury key sites amid US military pressure, according to new satellite imagery and analysis from the Institute for Science and International Security.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>A number of calendar events could play a role in the timing of an attack. The Winter Olympics – traditionally a moment of global unity – conclude on Sunday; some European officials said they believed no strike would occur before then.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Meanwhile, Ramadan began Wednesday; some officials from US allies in the Middle East – which have lobbied against an attack, fearing regional destabilisation – said an attack during the Muslim holy month would convey American disrespect.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>And Trump is delivering his annual State of the Union address on Tuesday; aides have said it was likely to act as a kickoff for Trump's mid-term year message on domestic issues. It wasn't clear whether the president was taking any of those events into account as he weighs his options.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Trump, in his statements on Iran over the past weeks, has done little to gain buy-in from the American public or Congress for a large military operation in the country. He has hinted at a desire for regime change, and insisted Iran not obtain a nuclear weapon, but has not said what precisely his objectives would be in ordering an attack.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><em><span>NEVER MISS A STORY:</span></em></strong><span> </span><em><span>Get your breaking news and exclusive stories first by following us across all platforms.</span></em></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><ul><li><strong><em><span>Download the 9NEWS App here via</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://apps.apple.com/au/app/9news/id1010533727" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>Apple</span></em></strong></a><span> </span><strong><em><span>and</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=nineNewsAlerts.nine.com&amp;hl=en_AU&amp;pli=1" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>Google Play</span></em></strong></a></li><li><strong><em><span>Make 9News your preferred source on Google by</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://9.nine.com.au/8x987w" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>ticking this box here</span></em></strong></a></li><li><strong><em><span>Sign up to</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://login.nine.com.au/edm?client_id=nineatnine" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>our breaking newsletter here</span></em></strong></a></li></ul></div></div>