On February 24, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio held a rare closed-door report at the White House for the "Group of 8 Leaders" of Congress. This is the group responsible for receiving the most confidential intelligence, including leaders of the two parties and heads of bipartisan intelligence committees.
This move takes place in the context of the US mobilizing powerful warships and aircraft to the area, recalling the preparation phase for the Iraq war and signaling the possibility of a large-scale military campaign breaking out.
The presence of the supership USS Gerald Ford in the area confirms that the US military is ready to fire as soon as there is an order from President Donald Trump.
Although the details of Secretary of State Rubio's report are kept secret, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer warned that the situation is at an extremely serious level. He asked the administration to clearly explain to the nation about the risk of conflict. The report took place right before the State of the Union Address, where President Trump is expected to focus on tough policies with Iran.
The White House is currently imposing strict conditions, forcing Iran to completely abandon its nuclear program, ballistic missiles and cut off support for authorized forces. Although the two sides are scheduled to meet in Geneva on February 26, the hope of reaching an agreement is still very slim because Iran only wants to discuss the nuclear issue in a limited way.
Previously, President Trump issued a 10-day ultimatum with threats of "bad consequences" if Iran does not accept US claims. However, concerns are emerging within US defense officials about the consequences of a direct confrontation.
Meanwhile, within US defense officials, concerns are also emerging about the consequences of a direct conflict.
General Dan Caine, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, warned that conflict could deplete strategic interceptor missiles such as Patriot and THAAD. In response, Mr. Trump rejected concerns from the military and affirmed that the US would easily win if it launched a military attack.
Experts believe that bringing the Gerald Ford ship close to Crete Island is to create a pincer to deter and protect Israel from potential retaliation. President Trump is currently facing 2 scenarios: limited attacks to put pressure or launching a total campaign to overthrow the Tehran government.
With the "red lines" outlined, the US is forced to act to maintain international prestige if the Geneva round of negotiations fails. Time for diplomatic efforts is running out as the White House's ultimatum begins to count down.
