Defying mounting U.S. pressure, Iran has launched collaborative naval drills with Russia in the Gulf of Oman and parts of the northern Indian Ocean, timed perilously close to President Donald Trump’s 10-to-15-day nuclear ultimatum. The exercises underscore a burgeoning military axis amid whispers of American preemption.
Iran’s military outlet chronicled a pivotal scenario: joint teams from its army, IRGC, and Russian operatives stormed a simulated hijacked freighter. Involved were heavy hitters like the Alvand destroyer, missile cruisers, helicopters, troop carriers, commando squads, and agile combat boats. This builds on an IRGC drill that briefly choked the Strait of Hormuz, amplifying regional anxieties.
Trump’s terse message from Air Force One: Iran must deal on nukes within the deadline, lest ‘very bad things’ ensue. He’s dispatched the behemoth USS Gerald R. Ford to empower the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier battle group and its missile destroyers in the hot zone.
America’s naval and air surge continues unabated, with CNN reporting operational strike readiness this week. Axios, quoting a top advisor, forecasts 90% odds of assault if negotiations crater—protracted campaigns with Israel hitting nuclear infrastructure, missiles, and power centers in Tehran.
Insider leaks to The Wall Street Journal reveal Trump’s lean toward restrained opening salvos against military and official targets to extract nuclear compliance. Should permission come, action could follow in days, framing a tense chessboard where Iran-Russia maneuvers challenge U.S. dominance and flirt with open hostilities.