Iran plans rocket launches under US strike threat
Shafaq News-Tehran
Iran issued a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM)* announcing planned rocket launches over southern regions on February 19, the US Federal Aviation Administration website showed on Wednesday.
Tehran has conducted multiple missile launches in recent days, most recently on February 17 during naval drills in the Strait of Hormuz. Iran is also set to hold another joint naval exercise in the Strait with Russia on Thursday.
The second round of indirect US-Iran nuclear talks in Geneva ended on Tuesday without a breakthrough. Washington insists on a complete halt to uranium enrichment, while Tehran has proposed temporary suspensions or dilution of enriched stockpiles. US officials are weighing possible financial and oil-related sanctions relief, though no commitments have been made.
Israel, according to Axios, is preparing for a potential escalation "within days," as Iran faces a two-week deadline to present what US officials described as an “acceptable” proposal. In June 2025, a similar deadline preceded US strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities under Operation Midnight Hammer.
* The NOTAM system alerts pilots and airspace users to potential hazards, including military activity.
Read more: Why US–Iran talks keep failing, and why tensions persist
