American network CBS News has cited informed sources as saying that US President Donald Trump told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a meeting at Mar-a-Lago last December that he would support Israeli strikes on Iran’s ballistic missile programme if no agreement were reached between Washington and Tehran.
Two months after that meeting, the network reported that internal discussions among senior figures in the US military and intelligence community began examining the possibility of backing a new round of Israeli strikes on Iran.
According to US officials, the American deliberations focused less on whether Israel could act independently and more on how Washington could assist. This included providing aerial refuelling for Israeli aircraft and addressing the sensitive issue of securing overflight permissions from countries along the potential flight path.
The report added that ongoing talks within the US national security apparatus coincided with a clear display of American force towards Iran. A second US aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald R. Ford, along with its accompanying warships, was dispatched to the Middle East, joining an already significant American military presence in the region.
Four US officials said the carrier strike group is expected to redeploy from the Caribbean, a move that would position substantial firepower within range of Iran at a moment of escalating pressure.
Earlier this month, the Sultanate of Oman hosted a new round of nuclear negotiations between Tehran and Washington. The talks resumed after being halted following the attacks launched by Israel and the United States against Iran in June 2025.
Last Saturday, the American outlet Axios revealed intensive preparations for a second round of indirect negotiations between the United States and Iran, scheduled for next Tuesday in the Swiss city of Geneva.
President Donald Trump has previously affirmed that his country seeks to reach an agreement with Iran, while warning Tehran of the consequences should such efforts fail.
For its part, Tehran maintains that Washington and Israel fabricate pretexts to justify intervention and regime change. Iranian officials have vowed to respond to any military attack, even if limited in scope, while insisting on the lifting of Western economic sanctions in exchange for restrictions on its nuclear programme.
