Trump has discussed timelines for strikes on Iran – including this weekend – but no decision has been made yet

Washington – Top national security officials have told President Trump that the military is prepared for possible attacks Iran. As soon as Saturday, sources familiar with the discussions told CBS News, but the deadline for any action is likely to move beyond this weekend.

The officials, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive national matters, said Mr Trump had not yet made a final decision about whether to strike.

The talks have been described as fluid and ongoing, as the White House considers the risks of escalating tensions and the political and military consequences of restraint.

Over the next three days, the Pentagon is temporarily moving some personnel out of the Middle East region—primarily to Europe or the United States—ahead of possible action or retaliatory strikes by Iran if the U.S. moves forward with its operation, according to multiple officials.

One of the sources said moving assets and personnel ahead of potential US military activity is standard practice for the Pentagon and does not necessarily indicate an attack on Iran.

CBS News contacted a Pentagon spokesman on Wednesday afternoon, but he was unable to provide any information.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio plans to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in about two weeks for further discussions, according to one of the sources.

“There could be many reasons and rationales for striking against Iran,” White House press secretary Carolyn Leavitt said at a White House briefing on Wednesday, “but diplomacy is always the president’s first option.” He declined to discuss whether a potential attack would be coordinated with Israel.

Leavitt told reporters that the administration “conducted a very successful operation in June that targeted Iran’s nuclear facilities.”

“Iran would be very wise to reach a deal with President Trump and his administration,” he said.

USS Abraham Lincoln Aircraft Carrier Group And its fleet of warships is already in the region and a second carrier group, the USS Gerald Ford, was en route to the Middle East.

As of Wednesday, the Ford was off the coast of West Africa, according to maritime vessel tracking data.

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Tuesday posted an AI-generated picture of Ford at the bottom of the sea.

Khamenei’s post on X reads, “The US President constantly says that the US has sent a warship toward Iran. Of course, a warship is a dangerous piece of military hardware.” “However, even more dangerous than that warship is the weapon that can send that ship to the bottom of the sea.”

Iranian and US negotiators held mediation talks on Tuesday over Iran’s nuclear programme. The discussion lasted for several hours in Geneva, Switzerland.

The Trump administration acknowledged some progress.

The Trump administration said some progress has been made, but Leavitt said on Wednesday, “We’re still a long way off on some issues.”

He said, “I believe the Iranians are expected to come back to us with some more details in the next few weeks, and so the President will continue to see how that plays out.”

No date has been set for follow-up consultation.

Two sources said Mr Trump told Netanyahu during a meeting at Mar-a-Lago in December that the president would support Israeli strikes on Iran’s ballistic missile programme if a deal could not be reached between Washington and Tehran.

Iran issued a warning to pilots on Wednesday, advising them to avoid Iran’s southern region on Thursday due to rocket launches.

Last June, the US joined Israel’s attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities. During its 12-day war with Iran, due to intelligence suggested The regime’s nuclear programme suffered serious damage.

Before the war, Iran had accelerated its enrichment programme following the US withdrawal from the 2014 nuclear deal. it started enriching uranium to 60% purity That’s a small technological step away from weapons-grade levels, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency, which said Iran was the only country in the world to enrich to that level that was not armed with a nuclear bomb.