Fears of US–Iran war grow as military preparations accelerate, Axios reports

The report quoted former Israeli Military Intelligence chief Amos Yadlin as saying the likelihood of conflict has risen significantly.

Speaking to Israel’s Channel 12, Yadlin said he would now think twice about travelling abroad, a day after the second round of nuclear negotiations between Washington and Tehran concluded in Geneva.

“We are much closer than we were before, but a superpower does not go to war in a matter of days. There is a diplomatic path that must be exhausted,” Yadlin said, while warning that US military threats were credible and backed by visible preparations near Iran.

According to Axios, US officials believe that if military action begins, it would not be symbolic or limited but a sustained, multi-week campaign. A White House official was quoted as estimating a 90 per cent chance of a strike in the coming weeks.

A senior adviser to Donald Trump said the president is growing increasingly impatient. While some advisers are urging restraint, others believe kinetic military action is highly likely.

The report added that any operation would likely be conducted jointly with Israel and could exceed last year’s 12-day Israeli-led bombing campaign against Iranian targets.

Israeli officials also signalled readiness for escalation. Two officials told Axios that Israel is preparing for a conflict to break out “within days” and is pushing for an operation that could directly threaten Iran’s ruling regime.

Boaz Bismuth, chair of the Knesset’s Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, said Israel faces “challenging days,” noting that both the public and authorities are preparing for multiple scenarios.

Explosions and military activity add to anxiety

Concerns rose further after a fire broke out in Parand, in Tehran province, sending thick plumes of smoke into the air.

Iran’s state broadcaster IRIB later said the smoke was caused by reeds burning along a riverbank, with no reports of casualties or major damage.

Despite the mounting rhetoric, diplomatic efforts remain ongoing. Iran said after Tuesday’s Geneva talks that both sides had agreed on “guiding principles” aimed at avoiding conflict.

However, JD Vance said Tehran has yet to acknowledge all of Washington’s red lines.

US Energy Secretary Chris Wright reiterated Washington’s position during meetings in Paris linked to the International Atomic Energy Agency, warning that the US is determined to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.

Open-source flight data has shown dozens of US fighter jets, including F-22s, F-35s and F-16s, moving toward the Middle East, supported by refuelling aircraft.

Meanwhile, Iranian media reported that Tehran and Russia will conduct joint naval drills in the Sea of Oman and the northern Indian Ocean, while Iran’s Revolutionary Guards have launched exercises in the Strait of Hormuz.

The accelerating military deployments on both sides have heightened fears that the region could be on the brink of a broader war, with potentially far-reaching regional and global consequences.