Iran-US Tensions Live News Updates: Pentagon sending largest force of American warships, aircraft to Middle East
US-Iran Tensions Live News Updates: Follow Latest News on nuclear deal talks, military build-ups, Trump & Ali Khamenei rhetoric and global responses amid rising conflict risk.
by Mashkoora Khan, Aniruddha Dhar · The Indian Express · JoinUS-Iran Tensions Live News Updates: Tensions in the Middle East have reached a critical flashpoint on Thursday as President Donald Trump said he expects to decide within the “next 10 days” whether the United States will reach an agreement with Iran. Speaking from the inaugural meeting of the Board of Peace in Washington, the President signalled that the window for diplomacy is rapidly closing, even as high-stakes negotiations continue in Geneva.
The current situation at a glance
The ultimatum: President Trump expects a final decision on a deal within the next 10 to 15 days. He emphasised that the US will not permit Tehran to develop a nuclear weapon, stating, “We may have to take it a step further, or we may not.”
Story continues below this ad
Strait of Hormuz shutdown: In a rare and provocative move, Iran’s Revolutionary Guard (IRGC) temporarily closed the Strait of Hormuz for live-fire military drills. The waterway is a vital artery for 20% of the world’s oil supply.
Diplomatic deadlock: Despite reports of “guiding principles” being reached in Omani-mediated talks, Vice President JD Vance clarified that Tehran has yet to acknowledge key US red lines regarding uranium enrichment and regional proxies.
Urgent exit warnings: Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has urged all Polish citizens to leave Iran immediately, warning that evacuation routes could be cut off within “a matter of hours” if a “hot conflict” begins.
Why this matters
The current buildup of US military assets, including the deployment of the USS Gerald R. Ford carrier strike group and over 50 advanced fighter jets, is being described by analysts as the most significant mobilisation in the region since 2003. With oil prices already surging above $71 a barrel, the next 10 days will determine whether the path leads to a landmark diplomatic breakthrough or a sustained military campaign.
Our Global Desk are monitoring official statements from the White House, the Iranian Foreign Ministry, and maritime security agencies in the Persian Gulf. Stay tuned for real-time updates as this story develops.
Live Updates
Feb 20, 2026 07:20 PM IST
US-Iran Tensions Live Updates: Why Trump is telling UK ‘do not give away Diego Garcia’ air base as Iran strike fears rise
The Diego Garcia base has recently been used for operations in the Middle East against Yemen’s Houthis and for humanitarian aid missions to Gaza, according to Reuters.
The base is one of the most strategically significant US military installations outside American territory. RAF Fairford, mentioned by Trump, serves as a key European hub for US strategic bombers. Read the full story here
Feb 20, 2026 06:20 PM IST
US-Iran Tensions Live Updates: Pentagon sending largest force of American warships, aircraft to Middle East
The Pentagon is sending the largest force of American warships and aircraft to the Middle East in decades, including two aircraft carrier strike groups, as President Donald Trump warns of possible military action against Iran if talks over its nuclear program fall apart.
“It’s proven to be, over the years, not easy to make a meaningful deal with Iran, and we have to make a meaningful deal,” Trump said Thursday. “Otherwise bad things happen.”
Trump likely will have a host of military options, which could include surgical attacks on Iran’s air defences or strikes focused on Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, experts say. But they warn that Iran could retaliate in ways it hadn’t following attacks last year by the U.S. or Israel, potentially risking American lives and sparking a regional war.
“It will be very hard for the Trump administration to do a one-and-done kind of attack in Iran this time around,” said Ali Vaez, an Iran expert at the International Crisis Group. “Because the Iranians would respond in a way that would make all-out conflict inevitable.”
(AP)
Feb 20, 2026 05:19 PM IST
US-Iran Tensions Live Updates: UK's Yvette Cooper to meet Marco Rubio amid tensions over joint air base
Britain's foreign minister Yvette Cooper will meet with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio Friday, after President Donald Trump renewed his criticism of London for ceding sovereignty of the Chagos Islands, which is home to a US-UK air base, news agency Reuters reported.
Last year, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer agreed a deal to transfer sovereignty of the Indian Ocean islands to Mauritius, while keeping control of one - Diego Garcia - through a 99-year lease that preserved US operations at the base.
Washington last year gave its blessing to the agreement, but Trump has since changed his mind several times. In January, Trump described it as an act of "great stupidity", but earlier this month said he understood the deal was the best Starmer could make, before then renewing his criticism this week.
Cooper is meeting Rubio to discuss defence and security issues in Washington as Trump also toughens his rhetoric on Iran, saying Tehran must make a deal over its nuclear programme in the next 10 to 15 days, or "really bad things" will happen.
The Diego Garcia base has recently been used for operations in the Middle East against Yemen's Houthis and in humanitarian aid to Gaza.
(Reuters)
Feb 20, 2026 03:53 PM IST
US-Iran Tensions Live Updates: Gold rises on tensions and lower European bond yields
Gold prices rose Friday, supported by lingering tensions between the United States and Iran and lower European bond yields, while investors awaited US inflation data to assess the outlook for Federal Reserve monetary policy.
Spot gold was up 0.7% at $5,032.49 an ounce by 0941 GMT, but was on course for a weekly decline of 0.2%. US gold futures for April delivery were up 1.1% at $5,052.70.
"What we're seeing in the interest rate markets is that prices are higher in the longer end in European trading. That means yields are down, and that is reducing opportunity costs for holding gold," said Quantitative Commodity Research analyst Peter Fertig.
(Reuters)
Feb 20, 2026 03:29 PM IST
US-Iran Tensions Live Updates: Tehran says it will respond 'decisively' to any US 'military aggression'
Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations has said Tehran will respond “decisively” to any “military aggression” by the United States in a letter urging the UN Security Council to condemn recent threats from President Donald Trump.
Amir Saeid Iravani called for members of the council and UN chief Antonio Guterres to act, noting in particular Trump’s recent specific threat to use an airfield located in the Indian Ocean in the Chagos Islands, in a potential attack on Iran.
“Given the volatile situation in the region and the persistent movement and build-up of military equipment and assets by the United States, such a belligerent statement by the President of the United States must not be treated as mere rhetoric,” Iravani wrote.
The Iranian envoy emphasised that his country “neither seeks tension nor war and will not initiate any war”.
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
(With inputs from Al Jazeera)
Feb 20, 2026 03:08 PM IST
US-Iran Tensions Live Updates: How US military is deploying its arsenal to strike Tehran
The US military, in recent weeks, has reportedly been closing in with its buildup near Iran as President Donald Trump had last month promised the protesting Iranians that “help was coming” and referred to the military buildup in the region as “armada”.
Trump, on January 22, spoke about a “great aramada” heading to Iran, where he referred to the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln and its carrier strike group. The BBC has now confirmed, using satellite imagery, that the location of USS Abraham Lincoln is near Iran.
The US military is allegedly ready for a potential strike on Iran as soon as this weekend, The Guardian reported, citing unnamed sources on Wednesday. The report added that President Trump is yet to take a call on whether to go ahead with the strike on Tehran. Read the full story read
Feb 20, 2026 02:29 PM IST
US-Iran Tensions Live Updates: European shares set for weekly gains as earnings outlook improves
European shares edged higher Friday and were on track for weekly gains, buoyed by a broadly improving corporate earnings outlook and easing AI-disruption worries, while simmering geopolitical tensions kept a lid on enthusiasm.
The pan-European STOXX 600 index rose 0.2% to 626.64 points by 0814 GMT, trading just shy of an all-time high, with most regional benchmarks also in the black. Luxury brand Moncler jumped 13% after reporting a 7% rise in revenue in the fourth quarter, helped by solid growth in Asia and the Americas. The broader luxury sector added 1.2%.
Meanwhile, global markets were monitoring developments in the oil-rich Middle East as President Donald Trump warned Iran it must make a deal over its nuclear program or "really bad things" will happen.
(With inputs from Reuters)
Feb 20, 2026 12:53 PM IST
US-Iran Tensions Live Updates: 7 scenarios that could shape the Iran's future
The United States appears to be preparing for possible military action against Iran. In recent weeks, Washington has increased its military presence in the Middle East.
If talks fail and US President Donald Trump decides to order strikes, the consequences could spread across the region. In an analysis, the BBC says that while the likely targets of any US strike are known, “the outcome is not”.
Feb 20, 2026 12:50 PM IST
US-Iran Tensions Live Updates: Which military assets has the US moved to the Middle East?
According to a BBC report, images publicly available from the European Sentinel-2 satellites show that at least 12 US ships have gathered in the Middle East region.
Abraham Lincoln
Nimitz-class carrier
Three Arleigh Burke-class destroyers
Two destroyers
Three specialist ships for combat
Two other destroyers in the eastern Mediterranean
Among the US aircraft being deployed in the Middle East are:
F-15 fighter jets
EA-18 fighter jets
US cargo planes
Communications aircraft
Refuelling aircraft
MQ-9 Reaper drones
Feb 20, 2026 12:49 PM IST
US-Iran Tensions Live Updates: What could happen if the US strikes Iran?
US President Donald Trump says he’ll decide on a US‑Iran deal within the next 10 days, noting talks are ongoing and a red line is clear: no nuclear weapon for Tehran.
Meanwhile, Iran’s live‑fire drills in the Strait of Hormuz have temporarily shut the key oil route, and Poland’s PM urged citizens to leave Iran immediately. The standoff leaves markets on edge as both sides weigh diplomacy versus escalation.
Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram
Latest Comment
Post Comment
Read Comments