US assets in Middle East positioned for ‘highly kinetic’ war, ex-Pentagon official warns

The U.S. is successful presumption for a "highly kinetic" run against Iran aft launching 1 of its largest caller subject buildups successful the Middle East, a erstwhile elder Pentagon authoritative has claimed.

Dana Stroul, present probe manager astatine The Washington Institute for Near East Policy, made the appraisal Sunday arsenic Washington and Tehran hole for a 2nd circular of indirect atomic talks successful Oman.

"The US subject is acceptable for a sustained, highly kinetic run should President Trump bid it, and besides prepared to support allies and partners successful the Middle East from Iran's missiles," Stroul told Fox News Digital.

"The US subject tin rapidly reposition assets from each implicit the satellite and deploy overwhelmingly lethal unit successful a abbreviated play of clip to 1 theater," she said earlier highlighting however determination is "no state oregon force susceptible of what we person seen from the US successful this existent buildup."

PRESIDENT TRUMP'S IRAN BUILDUP MIRRORS 2003 IRAQ WAR SCALE AS TENSIONS ESCALATE

The world's largest warship, U.S. craft bearer USS Gerald R. Ford, connected its mode retired of the Oslofjord astatine Nesodden and Bygdoy, Norway, September 17, 2025. (NTB/Lise Aserud via Reuters)

Describing however the existent posture differs from the June 2025 strikes connected Iranian-linked atomic targets, Stroul said the U.S. has expanded its violative and antiaircraft capabilities.

"Two US craft carriers and their accompanying vessels and aerial wings were stationed successful the Middle East past summertime during the 12-day warfare and the US cognition Midnight Hammer," she explained.

"The summation of the Ford is truly important, it expands US violative capabilities if we spell to warfare with Iran," she said.

While successful June 2025, the US carried retired constricted but highly targeted strikes against Iranian atomic infrastructure to degrade cardinal facilities without triggering a determination war, now, Stroul said the unit posture is broader and much sustained.

The US has besides "increased the fig of guided-missile destroyers, combatant aircraft, refuelers, and aerial defence systems" successful the region, she explained.

TRUMP SAYS IRAN HAS 15 DAYS TO REACH A DEAL OR FACE 'UNFORTUNATE' OUTCOME

An F/A-18F Super Hornet, assigned to Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 41, prepares to marque an arrested landing connected the formation platform of the USS Abraham Lincoln successful the Pacific Ocean connected Aug. 10, 2024.   (U.S. Navy/Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Apprentice Daniel Kimmelman/Reuters)

The deployment of craft carriers specified arsenic the USS Gerald R. Ford and USS Abraham Lincoln has assumed heightened strategical importance.

The USS Gerald R. Ford was precocious tracked transiting the Strait of Gibraltar eastward, portion the USS Abraham Lincoln is operating successful the Arabian Sea.

"They volition some beryllium successful the Middle East CENTCOM theater," Stroul explained earlier clarifying that determination could beryllium "one successful the eastbound Mediterranean and the different successful the Arabian Gulf."

"There would astir apt beryllium a operation of reasons for that based connected availability, readiness, proximity to the Middle East.

"The Ford was heading location and directed to crook around," she added.

While the circumstantial destinations of the carriers person not been publically disclosed for operational information reasons, their beingness unsocial signals escalatory leverage and deterrence.

WITKOFF WARNS IRAN IS ‘A WEEK AWAY’ FROM 'BOMB-MAKING MATERIAL' AS TRUMP WEIGHS ACTION

Omani Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr Hamad Al Busaidi, US President Donald Trump's Special Representative for the Middle East, Steve Witkoff and U.S. negotiator Jared Kushner conscionable up of the US-Iran talks, successful Muscat, the superior of Oman, connected February 06, 2026. (f Oman, connected FebruarOman Foreign Ministry/Anadolu via Getty Images)

The subject buildup comes arsenic indirect diplomatic talks betwixt Washington and Tehran continue, with Oman erstwhile again serving arsenic a mediator Feb. 26.  

Stroul argued that Iran’s enactment is trying to equilibrium brinkmanship with negotiation.

"Iran's leaders are playing a anemic manus by combining saber-rattling astir their ain capabilities, staging preparations and exercises to awesome readiness," she claimed.

"They are attempting to dilatory this down by pursuing negotiations. No 1 should beryllium nether immoderate illusions astir the world of US dominance — Iran is wholly outmatched successful accepted terms," Stroul said.

BUILT FOR WEEKS OF WAR: INSIDE THE FIREPOWER THE US HAS POSITIONED IN THE MIDDLE EAST

Armed NOPO peculiar constabulary units are connected the country arsenic Iranians instrumentality to the streets successful the downtown Enghelab (Revolution) Square successful Tehran, Iran connected June 24, 2025, to observe the ceasefire aft a 12-day warfare with Israel. (NEGAR/Middle East Images/AFP via Getty Images)

"Israel dominated Iranian airspace successful 1 time past year, targeted galore of Iran's information leaders, took retired fractional of its rocket arsenal, and the US importantly acceptable backmost its atomic program," Stroul said.

Iran’s long-cultivated web of proxies crossed the portion — including Hezbollah, Shiite militias successful Iraq, and elements successful Syria — has besides been weakened aft sustained Israeli subject pressure.

"Iran's long-cultivated web of proxies crossed the portion is degraded aft much than 2 years of Israeli operations, and they declined to participate the warfare and enactment Iran's defence past summer," Stroul explained.

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"No substance what Iran's leaders say, Iran is not capable to rebuild a decades-long task successful a fewer months."

"That said, the US subject is successful a presumption to execute immoderate orders President Trump gives," she said. "It is not a question of subject readiness, but a governmental decision."