Trump Masses Warships in Mediterranean, Weighs Iran Strike Options

President Trump warned Friday that limited strikes on Iran are possible as he ramps up military pressure on the country to dismantle its nuclear program. The USS Gerald Ford aircraft carrier and three additional warships entered the Mediterranean Sea on Friday, joining a second carrier already positioned in the region. Hundreds of warplanes are now staged across the Middle East, creating what military planners describe as readiness for a major operation.

Trump has been presented with military options that include killing Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and his son, according to his advisers. Yet the president still hasn't decided whether to strike. Two aircraft carriers, advanced weaponry, and hundreds of jets represent a show of force designed to extract concessions from Tehran without necessarily pulling the trigger.

Senator Lindsey Graham told Axios on Saturday that several people around Trump are advising him not to bomb Iran. Graham, who visited the Middle East this week to discuss Iran with leaders of Israel, the UAE, and Saudi Arabia, is pushing the president to ignore the cautious voices.

"I understand concerns about major military operations in the Middle East given past entanglements," Graham said. "However, the voices who counsel against getting entangled seem to ignore the consequences of letting evil go unchecked."

Some of Trump's inner circle are urging him to hold off on strikes and instead keep leveraging the military threat to extract concessions. There are also doubts among some advisers about the wisdom of launching a regime change operation in Iran. This internal division means Trump's decision could go either way, and his team remains genuinely uncertain about his final choice.

The U.S. and Iran resumed Oman-mediated talks in Geneva this week aimed at averting military action. U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff said Saturday that Trump is questioning why Iran has not "capitulated" under the weight of Washington's military buildup.

A senior Trump official told Axios the U.S. would consider an Iranian proposal that includes some "token" uranium enrichment if it ensures there is no path to a bomb. This suggests limited flexibility remains in negotiations, even as the military threat grows more concrete.

Oil prices, military spending, and the risk of broader Middle East conflict all hinge on Trump's next move. A strike could disrupt global energy markets and draw the U.S. into a prolonged conflict. The military buildup alone signals that Trump views Iran's nuclear program as an urgent threat requiring either diplomatic surrender or military action.

Graham's recent trip to the region and his public push for strikes suggest momentum is building among Trump's hawkish advisers. But the presence of cautious voices inside the administration means the outcome remains genuinely uncertain. Trump will make this decision alone, and history will judge whether he chose restraint or escalation.