DID Press: Financial Times reports, citing Israeli intelligence assessments, that the current U.S. military capacity would sustain only four to five days of intense strikes against Iran. The report adds that even if the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford were redeployed to the Middle East, Washington’s ability to maintain operations at a lower intensity would extend to no more than a week.
The newspaper notes that any escalation could result in casualties among United States Armed Forces personnel, potentially undermining the political standing and electoral agenda of Donald Trump, including his “Make America Great Again” campaign platform.
The second round of talks between Iran and the United States was held on February 16 in Geneva with mediation by Oman. After the meeting, Abbas Araghchi said the two sides had reached preliminary understandings on certain issues and elements to be included in a future nuclear agreement draft.
Meanwhile, U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance stated that consultations had made progress in some areas, but that Tehran was not yet ready to accept several positions set by the White House.
Earlier, Israel and the United States stressed that Iran must halt not only the development of its nuclear programme but also ballistic missile production and support for regional proxy forces—demands Tehran has rejected.