US has many argument to strike Iran , White House says

jpost.com · Feb 18, 2026 · Collected from GDELT

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Jerusalem Post/World NewsUS has 'many arguments' to strike Iran, White House announces ahead of Board of Peace meetingWhite House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt stated that Tehran would be wise to reach an agreement to avoid any conflict.‘THEY LOVE Trump, they love America – but right now they feel abandoned, and it hurts.’ The US president said he has no reason to strike, but protesters have been asking for US intervention. Here, a man shows a sign mentioning Trump during a rally in support of nationwide protests in Iran in Rome.(photo credit: Francesco Fotia/Reuters)ByREUTERS, JERUSALEM POST STAFFFEBRUARY 18, 2026 20:55Updated: FEBRUARY 18, 2026 21:31The US has many arguments to justify a strike on Iran, but Tehran would be wise to reach an agreement to avoid any conflict, White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said on Wednesday.Leavitt's statements come after the United States military moved over 50 fighter jets to the Middle East in a 24-hour period as part of its buildup of air and naval assets near Iran, Axios reported on Tuesday, citing a US official. A host of F-16, F-22, and F-35 jets were observed heading to the Middle East by independent flight trackers.Earlier on Wednesday, Axios reported that the United States is closer to military conflict with Iran than most Americans realize, and a massive weeks-long campaign could "begin very soon."This view was shared by former IDF military intelligence chief, Amos Yadlin, who said he would “think twice” about flying this weekend, commenting on the negotiations between the United States and Iran in an interview with N12 on Wednesday morning."Last week, I allowed myself to fly to the Munich Security Conference. I would think twice about flying this coming weekend,” he said. "We are much closer than we were before, but I remind you, a superpower does not go to war within days. There is a diplomatic path that needs to be exhausted," he added.A combination picture of satellite images show the Parchin military complex from before Israeli strikes until February 2026. (credit: 2026 Planet Labs PBC and Vantor/Handout via REUTERS)Satellite images show that Iran has recently built a concrete shield over a new facility at a sensitive military site and covered it in soil, experts say, advancing work at a location reportedly bombed by Israel in 2024 amid tensions with the US.Images also show that Iran has buried tunnel entrances at a nuclear site bombed by the US during Israel's 12-day war with Iran last year, fortified tunnel entrances near another, and has repaired missile bases struck in the conflict.Iran will not accept US President Donald Trump's 'red lines' after Geneva talks, JD Vance saysThis follows US Vice President JD Vance said that Iran is not yet willing to acknowledge some of US President Donald Trump's "red lines," particularly those regarding the Islamic Republic's nuclear program, following Tuesday's negotiations in Geneva.“In some ways it went well, they agreed to meet afterwards, but in other ways it was very clear that the President has set some red lines that the Iranians are not yet willing to actually acknowledge and work through,” Vance told Fox News.The American vice president made clear that the US's primary goal is to prevent Iran from getting a nuclear weapon.Meanwhile, Leavitt also stated that over 20 countries would be attending the upcoming Board of Peace meeting, due to be held on Thursday, and that member states had committed to providing thousands of personnel for an international stabilization force for Gaza.Danya Saperstein, Lara Sukster Mosheyof, and Walla contributed to this report.