Trump to deliver State of the Union amid looming Iran war fears

US President Donald Trump is set to address Congress on Tuesday in his annual State of the Union speech, in what is expected to be a closely watched appearance ahead of the midterm elections, against the backdrop of a deeply divided nation, a marginalised Congress, and mounting fears of war with Iran.

Trump will speak before lawmakers in the chamber as both the House of Representatives and the Senate have been largely sidelined under his tightening grip on power, with a touted US strike on Iran expected to be the headline news.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio will brief Congress behind closed doors on developments related to Iran ahead of the speech, as Washington expands its military presence in the Middle East in recent months, deploying two aircraft carriers, more than a dozen additional warships, fighter jets and other assets to the region.

Trump has repeatedly warned that "very bad things" could happen if no agreement is reached over Iran's nuclear programme, with further indirect talks between the two sides due this week.

On Monday, Trump denied US media reports of divisions between the White House and Pentagon on whether to intervene in Iran.

Trump said the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Dan Caine, had warned of the risks of a major strike against Iran, including the danger of a prolonged conflict, US casualties, munitions shortages and a lack of allied support, but, he wrote, it was "100 percent incorrect" that Caine opposed military action against Tehran, and in fact believed such a conflict would be "easily won" by Washington.

While Trump said he would prefer a deal with Iran, failure to do so would be a "a very bad day" for the leadership in Tehran.

US officials have confirmed that another round of talks with Tehran is set for Thursday, even as military preparations continue.

Trump, who ordered strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities last year, has repeatedly threatened further action if negotiations fail to produce a new agreement to replace the nuclear deal he withdrew from in 2018.

Israel on 'high alert'

Israel is closely monitoring the negotiations between Washington and Tehran and is preparing for a "near-certain" US strike if talks collapse.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told the Knesset on Monday that Israel was facing "complex days and major challenges" and was watching developments "with open eyes" while preparing for every scenario. He warned Iran that any attack on Israel would be met with force "they cannot even imagine."

Israeli media, citing senior officials, reported that security consultations were being held daily, with the army on high alert amid uncertainty over Trump's intentions.

Israel's Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper quoted a senior Israeli official as saying that a US attack appeared "almost certain", with the question being "not whether, but when and how".

US refuelling aircraft and heavy transport planes have reportedly arrived in Israel in recent hours as part of the wider regional deployment.