The US military is preparing for a possible long-term military operation against Iran, which will last several weeks, Reuters reported, citing two unnamed US officials.
According to their information, plans have already been developed for a more complex operation than the one carried out in June 2025. In particular, the strikes may be directed not only at the Islamic Republic's nuclear infrastructure, but also at its state institutions and security agencies.
Washington expects retaliatory attacks from Iran, which could increase the risk of regional conflict, the agency notes.
On January 26, the US announced that a “massive armada“ was advancing towards Iran. The US side expressed hope that Tehran would sit down at the negotiating table and reach a "fair and equitable" deal that would include a complete renunciation of nuclear weapons. The US warned that "the next attack will be even worse", referring to strikes against the Islamic Republic in the summer of 2025, and called for "prevention of this".
On February 6, a new round of talks between Tehran and Washington was held in Muscat to resolve the crisis over Iran's nuclear program. The Iranian delegation was led by Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, and the US delegation by Special Presidential Envoy Stephen Witkoff.