The United States deployed dozens of combat aircraft toward the Middle East on February 17 — including F-22 Raptors and F-16 Fighting Falcons — as nuclear negotiations between Washington and Tehran concluded in Geneva with cautious optimism but no binding agreement.
Open-source flight-tracking data compiled by aviation analysts showed 36 F-16s and 12 F-22 Raptors on the move toward the region on February 17. The F-16s departed from Aviano and Spangdahlem air bases in Europe and McEntire Joint National Guard Base in the United States. The F-22 Raptors flew out of Langley Air Force Base in Virginia as the TREND 51 flight, accompanied by ROMA aerial tankers. Analysts also tracked multiple F-35As, E-3G Sentry airborne warning aircraft, and KC-135 tankers repositioning simultaneously.
The deployments build on an already substantial US military presence. The USS Gerald R. Ford carrier strike group began moving toward the Middle East on February 13, joining the USS Abraham Lincoln, which arrived in the region on January 26. Two carrier strike groups operating in the same theater is a rare and significant military posture.
Two US officials told Reuters that the Pentagon is preparing for potentially weeks-long sustained operations against Iran if President Donald Trump orders an attack — operations that could extend beyond nuclear facilities to Iranian state and security infrastructure. “Sometimes you have to have fear,” Trump told US troops at a North Carolina base last week. “That’s the only thing that really will get the situation taken care of.”
Talks Yield ‘Main Principles’ But Leave Core Issues Unresolved
Against that military backdrop, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi struck a measured tone after the second round of Oman-mediated talks wrapped in Geneva on February 17. “The path for a deal has started,” Araghchi said, adding that the two sides had reached an understanding on the “main principles” of a potential agreement following what he described as “very serious discussions.”
Oman’s Foreign Minister Badr bin Hamad al-Busaidi mediated both rounds of talks. The first took place in Oman in early February; the second moved to Geneva. Washington and Tehran have not publicly confirmed a third session.
There remain some major gaps: the US demands Iran transfer its stockpile of highly enriched uranium to a third country; Iran insists the stockpile stays within its borders. Tehran also wants guarantees against a future US withdrawal from any deal, a concern rooted in the Trump administration’s 2018 exit from the JCPOA. Iran has further ruled out linking its ballistic missile program or regional proxy relationships to any nuclear agreement.
Israel Sees Talks Collapsing — and Prepares Accordingly
Israeli officials told Channel 12 News on February 18 that they believe Trump is already preparing to strike Iran and that his administration is positioning for the diplomatic track to fail — a read that, if accurate, would reframe the Geneva talks as leverage rather than good-faith negotiation.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who met Trump at the White House last week, told the president a deal with Iran is impossible and that Tehran would not honor any agreement it signed. Trump’s response, according to a US official: “We’ll see if it’s possible. Let’s give it a shot.”
Iran’s security chief Ali Larijani has publicly accused Israel of attempting to sabotage the negotiations. “Our negotiations are exclusively with the United States — we are not engaged in any talks with Israel,” Larijani told Al Jazeera. “However, Israel has inserted itself into this process, with their intent on undermining and sabotaging these negotiations.”
Khamenei Issues Public Military Warning
Hours after the Geneva talks ended, Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei posted a pointed message on his official account. “The US President keeps saying that they have the strongest military force in the world,” Khamenei wrote on February 17. “The strongest military force in the world may at times be struck so hard that it cannot get up again.” The post drew 4 million views within hours.
Related: Iran launches live fire drill across Hormuz as nuclear talks open
The warning arrived as Iran’s domestic situation continues to deteriorate. Nationwide protests that began on December 28, 2025, driven by the country’s collapsing economy and rising inflation, have spread across all 31 provinces. Global solidarity demonstrations drew an estimated 350,000 Iranians in both Toronto and Los Angeles on February 14, the same day Trump said regime change in Iran “would be ideal.”
Information for this story was found via Al Jazeera, Reuters via CNBC, Iran International, and the sources and companies mentioned. The author has no securities or affiliations related to the organizations discussed. Not a recommendation to buy or sell. Always do additional research and consult a professional before purchasing a security. The author holds no licenses.
