Published On 2/5/2026
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Last update: 00:50 (Mecca time)
The US-Iranian crisis is experiencing a sharp paradox. While the pace of exchanging proposals through mediators is accelerating, on the other hand, US military preparations in the region are escalating.
This contradiction between diplomatic papers and military maps raises an urgent question: Is the moment for the resumption of war near?
Preparations for an American strike
The military indicators take a serious nature, which was reflected in information conveyed by Al Jazeera’s correspondent in Washington, Nasser Al-Husseini, from Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal, who confirmed the existence of “actual plans for an imminent military strike against Iran,” indicating broad American military preparedness.
The senator explained that his information was derived from meetings he held in recent days with officials and envoys from President Donald Trump.
The Al Jazeera correspondent also indicated that separate meetings were held with American military leaders to prepare for this possible action.
Data indicate that Washington is considering options that include using “hypersonic bombs” to strike specific sites inside Iran, in addition to considering plans to launch ground operations that may include controlling Iranian islands and regions.
These data intersect with leaks reported by “Time” magazine and the “Axios” website, stating that the Commander of the US Central Command (Centcom), Admiral Brad Cooper, presented a briefing to President Trump that included options aimed at “breaking the deadlock” in the negotiations.
According to informed sources, the plan included a wave of “short and powerful” strikes, as well as the possibility of carrying out a special forces operation to secure Iran’s stock of highly enriched uranium.
The British newspaper The Independent reported – in its analysis – that the proposed options may include land control of ruling parts of the Strait of Hormuz.
Possible Iranian response
In exchange for Washington’s waving of the stick, an Iranian position emerged that refuses to make concessions under fire.
Iranian Leader Mojtaba Khamenei pledged – in a statement broadcast on state television – to defend his country’s basic technologies “from nano and biology to nuclear and missiles,” considering them as national capital that will be protected just as the country’s “land and sea borders” are protected. He added that foreigners have no place in the Gulf “except at the bottom of its waters.”
The matter did not stop at political statements, but rather extended to the military threat. Official media reported a warning from the commander of the Revolutionary Guards’ aerospace force against any new attack. He said, “We have seen the fate of your bases in the region, and we will see the same thing happen to your ships,” threatening “long and painful” strikes.
As for Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, he considered that Washington’s naval blockade is “an extension of military operations against a nation that is paying the price for its independence,” describing the continuation of this approach as “unbearable.”
Mutual proposals and a Pakistani warning
Amid this charged atmosphere, diplomacy is trying to catch its breath. Iran presented its latest proposals on Thursday-Friday night via Islamabad, but Trump expressed his dissatisfaction with them.
Trump said from the White House: “They are asking for things that I cannot accept,” considering that Iranian leaders do not know how to conclude a deal.
This Iranian proposal came in response to American conditions, as the Axios website revealed that Washington sent – last Monday – a list of amendments focusing on returning the nuclear file to the core of the agreement, and demanding that Iran make a written pledge not to transfer any enriched uranium during the negotiations, and not to resume the activity of facilities that were previously bombed.
In the face of accelerating events, Pakistan entered the line of calm. A source in the Pakistani Prime Minister’s Office told Al Jazeera that Islamabad “asked Trump to suspend making a major military decision at this stage,” in an attempt to save the remaining chances for a peaceful solution.
Pressures of law and economics
These developments coincide with the expiration of the legal deadline (60 days) after which the War Powers Act requires the US President to obtain authorization from Congress.
While Secretary of War Pete Hegseth argues that the truce has stopped the deadline, lawmakers reject this, while Trump hints at moving forward, considering those demanding adherence to constitutional procedures “unpatriotic.”
Economically, the conflict casts a heavy shadow on the markets. According to reports, the disruption of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz led to a jump in Brent crude prices to $126 per barrel, and an increase in fuel prices in America.
Conclusion
Today, the region is facing a delicate scene. Between Pakistani calls for calm and mediation efforts, Washington continues to determine its military options, while Tehran is mobilizing its deterrent capabilities.
The irony here indicates that the pace of diplomatic proposals is no longer able to keep up with the arms race and preparedness, in a way that makes sliding towards resuming military action an option strongly on the decision table.
