Hours before Donald Trump’s State of the Union, Senator Marco Rubio briefed top U.S. lawmakers on Iran amid the largest U.S. deployment of aircraft and warships to the Middle East since 2003.

Trump warned that Iran would never be allowed to develop nuclear weapons and claimed Tehran was working on ballistic missiles capable of reaching the U.S., while asserting he preferred a diplomatic solution.

U.S.-Iran nuclear talks are scheduled for Thursday in Geneva, though the White House has demanded Iran curb its missile program and cease support for proxies like Hezbollah.

Analysts note that the U.S. is positioned to launch either limited strikes or a larger offensive, with senior military officials warning of potential consequences for missile stockpiles and regional escalation, The Guardian has reported.

Preparations include evacuating non-essential embassy personnel in Lebanon and deploying the USS Gerald Ford.