The U.S. military is preparing for the possibility of sustained, weeks-long operations against Iran if President Donald Trump orders an attack, two U.S. officials told Reuters, in what could become a far more serious conflict than previously seen between the countries.

The disclosure by the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the planning, raises the stakes for the diplomacy underway between the United States and Iran.

U.S. and Iranian diplomats held talks in Oman last week in an effort to revive diplomacy over Tehran’s nuclear program, after Trump amassed military forces in the region, raising fears of new military action.

U.S. officials said on Friday the Pentagon was sending an additional aircraft carrier to the Middle East, adding thousands more troops along with fighter aircraft, guided-missile destroyers and other firepower capable of waging attacks and defending against them.

Trump, speaking to U.S. troops on Friday at a base in North Carolina, said it had “been difficult to make a deal” with Iran.

“Sometimes you have to have fear. That’s the only thing that really will get the situation taken care of,” Trump said.

Asked for comment on the preparations for a potentially sustained U.S. military operation, White House spokesperson Anna Kelly said: “President Trump has all options on the table with regard to Iran.”

“He listens to a variety of perspectives on any given issue, but makes the final decision based on what is best for our country and national security,” Kelly said.

The Pentagon declined to comment.

The United States sent two aircraft carriers to the region last year, when it carried out strikes against Iranian nuclear sites.

However, June’s “Midnight Hammer” operation was essentially a one-off U.S. attack, with stealth bombers flying from the United States to strike Iranian nuclear facilities. Iran staged a very limited retaliatory strike on a U.S. base in Qatar.

RISKS INCREASING

The planning underway this time is more complex, the officials said.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards have warned that in case of strikes on Iranian territory, they could retaliate against any U.S. military base.

The U.S. maintains bases throughout the Middle East, including in Jordan, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Turkey.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met Trump for talks in Washington on Wednesday, saying that if an agreement with Iran were reached, “it must include the elements that are vital to Israel.”

Iran has said it is prepared to discuss curbs on its nuclear program in exchange for lifting sanctions, but has ruled out linking the issue to missiles.

Former Pakistani diplomats, speaking at a roundtable discussion in Islamabad, underscored the importance of sustained dialogue with Afghanistan to address bilateral differences.

The discussion, organized on Friday by the Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad, highlighted that the current situation in Afghanistan has direct consequences for regional security and stability. Participants stressed that constructive engagement and regular communication are the only viable pathways to resolving existing challenges.

The former diplomats pointed out that relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan are deeply interconnected, and any strain between the two sides inevitably impacts the wider region.

They further emphasized that building trust, enhancing practical cooperation, and fostering mutual understanding are essential prerequisites for achieving lasting regional stability.

Dubai port giant DP World said on Friday its chairman and chief executive Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem had resigned, an announcement that followed mounting pressure over his alleged ties to Jeffrey Epstein.

Bin Sulayem, one of the Middle East’s most prominent business figures, is among the highest-profile executives to face scrutiny and be removed from senior roles following the recent release of the Epstein files, Reuters reported.

Dubai’s ruler on Friday also issued a decree appointing a new chairman for Dubai’s Ports, Customs and Free Zone Corporation, one of several roles previously held by Bin Sulayem.

Members of the U.S. Congress said Bin Sulayem’s name appeared in documents published by the U.S. Department of Justice, prompting renewed questions over his past interactions with Epstein, a convicted sex offender. Reuters was not able to independently verify the allegations in the files.

MOUNTING PRESSURE

Pressure had been building on the Emirati logistics firm after two organisations, the UK development finance agency and Canada’s second-largest pension fund, said this week they would suspend all new investment with DP World over Bin Sulayem’s alleged Epstein ties.

On Friday the UK agency, British International Investment, welcomed DP World’s decision and said it looked forward to continuing “our partnership to advance the development of key African trading ports”.

Canada’s La Caisse said in a statement that “the company took the appropriate measures”. It said it would “move quickly to work with DP World’s new leadership to continue our partnership on port projects around the world”.

DP World appointed Essa Kazim as chairman of its board of directors and Yuvraj Narayan as group chief executive officer, Dubai Media Office reported earlier.

Kazim currently serves as governor of the Dubai International Financial Centre, while Narayan, who joined DP World in 2004 and most recently served as deputy CEO, has held several senior roles in the company.

GLOBAL FALLOUT FROM EPSTEIN FILES

The resignation of Bin Sulayem follows the departure of other prominent figures in business and politics from top jobs across the globe as the fallout from the files expands.

Goldman Sachs (GS.N), opens new tab general counsel Kathy Ruemmler said she will resign this summer over the ties, the Financial Times reported on Thursday, while at least three members of British Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s administration stepped down after the appointment of Peter Mandelson as ambassador to the U.S. threw the government into crisis.

The Epstein files, among millions published by the U.S. Department of Justice, suggest a close relationship with Bin Sulayem for more than a decade after Epstein’s conviction in 2008 on prostitution charges involving an underage girl.

The documents include emails and text messages that appear to show discussions between Epstein and Bin Sulayem about business, conversations about sex and plans to visit Epstein’s Caribbean island.

The documents show the late disgraced financier’s web of relationships with prominent people in politics, finance, academia and business. Being named in the files is not evidence of criminal activity.

Epstein was found dead in a New York jail cell where he was being held on sex-trafficking charges in August 2019. His death was ruled as suicide by hanging.

PROMINENT FIGURE IN BUSINESS HUB DUBAI

Bin Sulayem, a prominent figure in Dubai and the wider Middle East, was one of the names behind the emirate’s growth into the region’s business and tourism hub.

Some of his ventures included establishing Nakheel, the real estate developer behind Dubai’s famous palm-shaped islands, as well as contributing to the creation of commodities exchange DMCC.

A frequent speaker at the World Economic Forum and other global business gatherings, he most notably oversaw DP World’s transformation into one of the world’s largest port and logistics operators.

The company says it handles around 10% of global container traffic with operations spanning countries including Canada, Peru, India and Angola.

DP World also sponsors a leading professional golf tour in Europe and has been a logistics partner for McLaren’s Formula 1 racing team since 2023.