Sustained attack on Iran possible if US nuclear talks fail

torontosun.com · Feb 20, 2026 · Collected from GDELT

Full Article

Skip to Content Subscribe FAQ My Account News Toronto & GTA Ontario Canada World Crime True Crime Weird Money Technology Tech Essentials Gaming Gadgets Weather Podcasts Olympics Opinion Editorials Columnists Editorial Cartoons Letters Send Letter to the Editor Sports Hockey PWHL Toronto Maple Leafs NHL Soccer Toronto FC MLS Baseball Toronto Blue Jays MLB Basketball Toronto Raptors NBA Football Toronto Argonauts CFL NFL Golf Other Sports Olympics Curling Tennis Horse Racing Wrestling Entertainment Celebrity Movies Music Television TV Listings Life Eat Fashion & Beauty Relationships Advice Sex Files Health Healthing Diet & Fitness Homes Travel Travel International Travel USA Travel Canada Ontario Travel Travel Essentials Savings Contests Lives Told Tails Told Shopping Toronto Sun Store Driving Vehicle Research Reviews News Gear Guide Obituaries Place an Obituary Place an In Memoriam Advertising Advertising With Us Advertising Solutions Postmedia Ad Manager Sponsorship Requests Classifieds Place an Ad Business Card Directory Celebrations Working Business Ads This Week's Flyers ePaper SUNShine Girls Become a Sunshine Girl Puzzmo Diversions Comics Puzzles Horoscopes Newsletters Manage Print Subscription Profile Settings My Subscriptions Saved Articles My Offers Newsletters Customer Service FAQ News Olympics Opinion Sports Entertainment Life Shopping Driving Obituaries Classifieds ePaper SUNShine Girls Puzzmo Newsletters Manage Print Subscription NewsWorldU.S. preparing for 'sustained' campaign in Iran if nuclear talks fail: ReportsUSS Gerald R. Ford currently transiting Mediterranean Sea to join 2nd aircraft carrier in Middle EastPublished Feb 19, 2026 • Last updated 2 hours ago • 3 minute read You can save this article by registering for free here. Or sign-in if you have an account.Picture taken on Sept. 24, 2025, from the French navy frigate Bretagne shows F-18 fighter jets on the deck of the the world's largest aircraft carrier USS Gerald R Ford as both ships are taking part in the NATO Neptune Strike 2025 exercise in the North Sea. Photo by JONATHAN KLEIN /AFP via Getty ImagesThe United States is preparing for a “sustained, weeks-long” military campaign against Iran if negotiations between the countries fall apart in the coming days, according to multiple reports.Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account.Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on.Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists.Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists.Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword.Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account.Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on.Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists.Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists.Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one account.Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments.Enjoy additional articles per month.Get email updates from your favourite authors.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one accountShare your thoughts and join the conversation in the commentsEnjoy additional articles per monthGet email updates from your favourite authorsThe Washington Post and Fox News both reported Thursday on a substantial buildup of U.S. military assets in the Middle East, including the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford transiting the Mediterranean Sea to join a second carrier that is already in position in the Arabian Sea.Reports have suggested a U.S. strike could come as early as Saturday.The buildup comes amid discussions in Geneva between U.S. and Iranian officials seeking changes to Tehran’s nuclear program. The White House has said little progress has been made during those talks and that the sides are “very far apart on some issues.”Iran was also warned by White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt that it would be “very wise” to make a deal with the U.S., BBC reported, as they stockpile fresh aircraft and naval units in the region.Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond.By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc.A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder.The next issue of Your Midday Sun will soon be in your inbox.We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try again In this handout photograph released by the US Navy on Feb. 6, 2026, Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) sails alongside Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Frank E. Petersen Jr. (DDG 121) and Lewis and Clark-class dry cargo ship USNS Carl Brashear (T-AKE 7) in the Arabian Sea, on Feb. 6, 2026. Photo by Petty officer 1st Class Jesse Monford/US Navy /AFP via Getty ImagesAttack could come within daysDuring an inaugural meeting Thursday of his Board of Peace, which is tasked with the rebuilding of Gaza after Israel’s war with Hamas, U.S. President Donald Trump gave few hints about his intentions in Iran.“Maybe we’re going to make a deal,” Trump said in the U.S. capital, via the Washington Post. “Maybe not. “You’re going to be finding out over the next, maybe, 10 days.”The possibility of an expanded military attack on the Islamic Republic has continued to increase after the U.S. redeployed the USS Gerald R. Ford from the Caribbean Sea to join the USS Abraham Lincoln in the region after it was repositioned as well from the South China Sea.The USS Gerald R. Ford strike group, including the guided missile destroyers USS Bainbridge and USS Mahan, were approaching the Strait of Gibraltar between Spain and Morocco on Thursday, the Washington Post reported.The dual-carrier strike posture is rarely seen outside of major conflicts, Fox News reported, and would allow the U.S. could carry out sustained strikes for days instead of isolated attacks, such as the ones used to hit Iran’s nuclear sites in June 2025.RECOMMENDED VIDEOIran reinforcing military facilities, other sitesThe beefed-up military response by the U.S. had reassured some officials in the region, especially Israel, but other countries have also warned against a wider war for fears it may further destabilize the Middle East.“Some actors (Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates) may have favoured targeted strikes to add pressure on Iran,” a European diplomat with knowledge of the U.S.-Iran nuclear talks told the Washington Post. “But an extended conflict will be bloody and it could bring more countries, either deliberately or by miscalculation, into the war.”The buildup has coincided with Iranian efforts to reinforce its Taleghan 2 explosives testing facility and Natanz nuclear site, according to Fox News, and Trump publicly musing about replacing the Iranian regime led by Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.Trump suggested last week that toppling his country’s longtime adversary would be the “best thing that could happen” to Iran as thousands of people have been killed amid protests against the Khamenei regime. Protesters march in support of regime change in Iran during a demonstration in Toronto, Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026. Photo by Sammy Kogan /THE CANADIAN PRESSCanada open to regime changeForeign Affairs Minister Anita Anand also said Saturday in an interview with The Globe and Mail that Canada would not re-establish ties with Iran unless there was a regime change.“We will not open diplomatic relationships with Iran unless there is a regime change,” Anand said, according to The Globe and Mail. “Period.”Trump has been pondering a new round of strikes against Iran since January in response to Tehran’s violent crackdown on protesters that has led to at least 7,000 and upward of 36,000 casualties across the country, according to various reports.The protests began in late December in response to soaring inflation, unemployment and the “sharp depreciation” of Iran’s currency, the rial, before students and the wider public began voicing their displeasure with the regime as well.Tehran’s subsequent crackdown has sparked protests across the globe, including a pair of massive rallies in Toronto that have called for regime change in Iran.The first rally saw about 150,000 people flood the streets near Sankofa Square more than two weeks ago before another 350,000 people took part in a protest Saturday that began on Yonge St. in North York. Hundreds of thousands take to Toronto streets to protest Iran regime WARMINGTON: Will massive Toronto rally for abused Iranians be heard by Ayatollah or Trump? Join the Conversation Olympics Canada Toronto & GTA Canada Olympics This website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. Read more about cookies here. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.