Secretary of State’s Feb. 28 visit comes as Trump administration positions ‘full forces’ for potential action by mid-March
WASHINGTON – 19 February 2026 – Secretary of State Marco Rubio is set to travel to Israel next week to update Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on US-Iran nuclear negotiations, as the Trump administration simultaneously surges military assets to the region and weighs potential action against Tehran.
Two Trump administration officials confirmed Wednesday that Rubio is expected to meet with Netanyahu on February 28, discussions that will centre on recent indirect talks between American and Iranian officials over the Islamic Republic’s nuclear program. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity as the travel plans have not yet been formally announced.
The high-level diplomatic engagement comes as the US military accelerates its regional buildup, with dozens of fighter jets including F-35s, F-22s and F-16s departing bases in the US and Europe for the Middle East in recent days, according to the Military Air Tracking Alliance (MATA), a team of open-source analysts.
Nuclear Talks Show ‘Cautious Progress’
The US and Iran have completed two rounds of indirect negotiations, with the most recent talks held in Geneva this week. According to a senior US official who spoke on condition of anonymity, Iran has agreed to prepare a written proposal addressing American concerns raised during the discussions.
That official revealed that top national security officials convened Wednesday in the White House Situation Room to discuss Iran, where they were briefed that the “full forces” necessary for potential military action are expected to be in place by mid-March. No timeline was provided for when Iran’s written response is expected.
Despite the military movements, diplomats from both nations have offered measured optimism about the negotiations. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi suggested that “a new window has opened” for reaching an agreement.
US Vice President JD Vance offered a more nuanced assessment in a Tuesday interview with Fox News Channel.
“In some ways, it went well,” Vance said of the Geneva talks. “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.”
Netanyahu’s Demands
Netanyahu’s White House visit last week saw the Israeli leader urge President Donald Trump to ensure any nuclear agreement also addresses Iran’s ballistic missile program and its funding for proxy groups including Hamas and Hezbollah.
Trump has publicly mused about regime change in Tehran, telling reporters Friday that a change in power in Iran “seems like that would be the best thing that could happen,” adding, “For 47 years, they’ve been talking and talking and talking.”
Massive Military Deployment
The administration has dispatched the USS Gerald R. Ford, the world’s largest aircraft carrier, from the Caribbean Sea to join a second carrier and other warships already positioned in the region.
MATA researchers have tracked more than 85 fuel tankers and over 170 cargo planes heading into the region. Support aircraft including six early-warning E-3 planes, key for coordinating large-scale operations, have been observed heading to a base in Saudi Arabia, pulled from locations in Japan, Germany and Hawaii.
Steffan Watkins, a Canada-based researcher and MATA member, confirmed the aircraft movements, underscoring the scale of the US military buildup as diplomatic efforts continue.
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