“End Nuclear Insanity Before Nuclear Insanity Ends Humanity”
Feb 18, 2026
LLAW’s Nuclear World News’ Image & Lead Story Today . . .
Photo illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios. Photos: Majid Saeedi and Stefani Reynolds/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Trump moves closer to a major war with Iran
- Barak Ravid
- The Trump administration is closer to a major war in the Middle East than most Americans realize. It could begin very soon.
Why it matters: A U.S. military operation in Iran would likely be a massive, weeks-long campaign that would look more like full-fledged war than last month’s pinpoint operation in Venezuela, sources say.
- The sources noted it would likely be a joint U.S.-Israeli campaign that’s much broader in scope — and more existential for the regime — than the Israeli-led 12-day war last June, which the U.S. eventually joined to take out Iran’s underground nuclear facilities.
- Such a war would have a dramatic influence on the entire region and major implications for the remaining three years of the Trump presidency.
- With the attention of Congress and the public otherwise occupied, there is little public debate about what could be the most consequential U.S. military intervention in the Middle East in at least a decade.
Breaking it down: Trump came close to striking Iran in early January over the killing of thousands of protesters by the regime.
- But when the window of opportunity passed, the administration shifted to a two-track approach: nuclear talks paired with a massive military build-up.
- By delaying and bringing so much force to bear, Trump has raised expectations for what an operation will look like if a deal can’t be reached.
- And right now, a deal does not look likely.
Driving the news: Trump’s advisers Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff met with Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi for three hours in Geneva on Tuesday.
- While both sides said the talks “made progress,” the gaps are wide and U.S. officials aren’t optimistic about closing them.
- Vice President Vance told Fox News the talks “went well” in some ways, 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 made it clear that while Trump wants a deal, he could determine that diplomacy has “reached its natural end.”
State of play: Trump’s armada has grown to include two aircraft carriers, a dozen warships, hundreds of fighter jets and multiple air defense systems. Some of that firepower is still on its way.
- More than 150 U.S. military cargo flights have moved weapons systems and ammunition to the Middle East.
- Just in the past 24 hours, another 50 fighter jets — F-35s, F-22s and F-16s — headed to the region.
Between the lines: The standoff with Iran has gone on so long that many Americans are likely numb to it. War could come sooner, and be much bigger, than most recognize, sources say.
- Trump’s military and rhetorical build-ups make it hard for him to back down without major concessions from Iran on its nuclear program.
- It’s not in Trump’s nature, and his advisers don’t view the deployment of all that hardware as a bluff.
- With Trump, anything can happen. But all signs point to him pulling the trigger if talks fail.
The timeline: The Israeli government — which is pushing for a maximalist scenario targeting regime change as well as Iran’s nuclear and missile programs — is preparing for a scenario of war within days, according to two Israeli officials.
- Some U.S. sources tell Axios that the U.S. might need more time. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) said strikes could still be weeks away. But others say the timeline could be shorter.
- “The boss is getting fed up. Some people around him warn him against going to war with Iran, but I think there is 90% chance we see kinetic action in the next few weeks,” one Trump adviser said.
The intrigue: U.S. officials said after Tuesday’s talks that Iran needs to come back with a detailed proposal in two weeks.
- Last June 19, the White House set a two-week window for Trump to decide between further talks or strikes. Three days later, he launched Operation Midnight Hammer.
The bottom line: There’s no evidence a diplomatic breakthrough with Iran is on the horizon. But there’s more and more evidence that a war is imminent.
LLAW’s Thoughts, Concerns, and Fears about Today’s Nuclear World and Beyond . . .
I am wondering what will happen if Iran should successfully sinks — or even attempts to — one or both of the U.S. warships that Trump has dramatically sent to the Middle East “for show, no doubt” . . . Or even if they don’t carry out that threat . . . the situation, especially with Trump leading the way, this all precisely looks like the scheme Trump has developed since the very beginning of these “nuclear negotiations’ talks. Is it an excuse to start a war — that would, with little doubt, turn into “nuclear war” or, just as likely “WWIII”.
Trump sent an invitation letter in March of 2025 — almost a year ago — via the United Arab Emeritus in early March 2025 expressing interest in a deal. Since then he has managed to break up every talk and negotiation by changing the rules just a day or so before each conference was scheduled in various locations around the world that either caused the cancellations of those negotiations or caused them to be unsuccessful.
To me at least, this sounds very much like a deceitfully intentional plan — definitely not in tune with the “original” invitation that was expressed by Trump. If this time around there is no agreement — and Trump says now that Iran cannot refine not enhance (enrich) any of their nuclear fuel beyond commercial reactor grade, to which I doubt Iran would consider to agree to even consider. Their reasoning is obvious.
So this is the present situation — leaving me wondering what the next step might be. There is an old saying that applies here — “There is War or rumors of War”. ~llaw
LLAW’s Nuclear World News Today . . .
About Today’s Nuclear News, Files, Categories, and How it Works . . .
There are 7 categories, including a bonus non-nuclear category for news about the Yellowstone caldera and other volcano and caldera activity around the world that also play an important role in the survival of human and other life.
The feature categories provide articles and information about ‘all things nuclear’ for you to pick from, usually with up to 3 links with headlines concerning the most important media stories in each category, but sometimes fewer and occasionally even none (especially so with the Yellowstone Caldera). If there was no news from a Category today, the Category will not appear. The Categories are listed below in their usual order:
- All Things Nuclear
- Nuclear Power
- Nuclear Power Emergencies
- Nuclear War Threats
- Nuclear War
- Yellowstone Caldera
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A Digest of major nuclear media headlines with automated links is listed below by nuclear Category (in the above listed order). If a Category heading does not appear in the daily news Digest, it means there was no news reported from this Category today. Generally, the three best articles in each Category from around the nuclear world(s) are Posted. Occasionally, if a Post is important enough, it may be listed in multiple Categories.
LLAW’s Nuclear World News, Wednesday, 02/18/2026
All Things Nuclear
NEWS
US envoys hold Iran nuclear talks and Ukraine war negotiations in Geneva | CNN
CNN
US special envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff led a whirlwind day of negotiations in Geneva — opening talks with Iran over its nuclear program …
Iran fired live exercises ahead of second round of US nuclear talks – The Hill
The Hill
… about the Middle Eastern nation’s nuclear program. The … How concerned are you, if at all, about rising tensions between the US and Iran?
U.S. releases new details on alleged secret Chinese nuclear test | NPR Illinois
NPR Illinois
All Things Considered. NPR Illinois. All Things Considered. Next Up: 6:30 PM Marketplace. 0:00. 0:00. All Things Considered. NPR Illinois. 0:00 0:00.
Nuclear Power
NEWS
Momentum is building to meet electricity demand in Texas with small nuclear reactors
KRGV
… power purchase agreements. What are SMRs? Small modular reactors are nuclear power plants designed to produce 300 megawatts of electricity or less ..
Next-Generation Nuclear Reactor Unloaded by Dept of War – YouTube
YouTube
In a historic milestone for President Trump’s nuclear agenda, the Department of War successfully unloaded the next generation nuclear reactor.
CANCELED DUE TO POWER OUTAGE – Radioactive Governance: The Politics of
Stanford University
About the event: The 2011 Fukushima Dai’ichi nuclear disaster was the worst industrial nuclear catastrophe to hit Japan. It was a major event, rated …
Nuclear Power Emergencies
NEWS
Power restored: USACE transitions from emergency efforts – U.S. Army
Army Corps of Engineers – U.S. Army
Deactivated Nuclear Power Plant Program (DNPPP) · Environmental Operating … As power is restored, generators will be deinstalled by Task Force …
Oregon lawmakers consider nuclear power study as energy shortages loom
The Register-Guard
… energy won’t be enough to meet Oregon’s energy needs in an emergency, and he believes “nuclear energy has the potential to be a significant source …
Nuclear War Threats
NEWS
Nuclear Fail-Safe, and Space Security and Stability—Explained – NTI
NTI
… nuclear fail-safe measures designed to reduce nuclear risks. Zoom in: The incorporation of artificial intelligence into attack warning systems, threat …t
Inside top secret bunker where 7,000 Americans will go if nuclear war breaks out
UNILAD Tech
… threat of a potential third World War. Uploaded to YouTube, the video description explained: “The West is collapsing, nuclear threats are rising.
Russia poses ‘serious and concrete’ threat to Sweden’s security, Stockholm warns
POLITICO
Nuclear weapons · Tech probes · War in Ukraine · Newsletters · Podcasts · Poll … Cyber warfare Defense Hybrid threats NATO. Related Countries. Russia …
Nuclear War
NEWS
Iran’s supreme leader threatens to sink US warships as nuclear talks continue – The Hill
The Hill
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei threatened to sink U.S. warships as U.S. and Iranian officials met for a second round of nuclear … Hegseth launches culture war …
Trump moves closer to a major war with Iran – Axios
Axios
Why it matters: A U.S. military operation in Iran would likely be a massive, weeks-long campaign that would look more like full-fledged war than last …
US-Iran war could be imminent and take weeks, sources warn after latest nuclear talks
The Times of Israel
Ex-IDF Military Intelligence chief says we’re ‘much closer than before’ to conflict, as US energy secretary warns Washington will stop Tehran …
Yellowstone Caldera
NEWS
Supervolcano may hold $1.5 trillion lithium cache – MSN
MSN
… Yellowstone caldera is limited and extraction is outright banned, but some scientists. Splash Travels. Research of the Yellowstone caldera is …
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