U.S. forces prepared to begin large operations against Iran within 96 hours if Trump orders it
U.S. forces are said to be staged in the region and prepared for potentially larger operations, but officials warn Iran’s changed tactics would complicate strikes.
Published: October 26, 2026 — United States Central Command (CENTCOM) and U.S. forces in the Middle East are reportedly prepared to begin new, potentially large-scale military operations against Iran within 96 hours of receiving an order from President Donald Trump, two unnamed U.S. officials said.
Forces staged, scope could exceed previous strikes
According to the officials, Washington has already deployed sufficient forces to the region to carry out strikes whose scale could significantly surpass earlier raids that targeted Iranian radars, rocket launchers and other military capabilities that Tehran can relatively quickly reconstitute.
One U.S. official described the plan in blunt terms: "it will be a large operation." Other current and former U.S. officials familiar with the plans expressed similar assessments.
Officials cautioned that any new campaign could prove more complicated than past actions because Iranian forces have become more familiar with U.S. tactics, which would make it harder to eliminate all intended targets.
They said President Trump had not yet made a final decision on next steps following the congressional elections, though some sources assert he will approve a broader military operation.
Photo: press material from the event
