The US aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln and its supporting warships have entered the Middle East region, expanding Washington’s military presence as tensions between the United States and Iran continue to simmer, according to two US officials.
Read More: US deploys aircraft carrier as Iran warns against attack
The carrier strike group, which includes several guided-missile destroyers, has crossed into the area of responsibility of the US military’s Central Command, the officials told Reuters. The deployment enhances President Donald Trump’s ability to protect US forces in the region and provides additional military options should tensions escalate.
Trump said last week that the United States had an “armada” heading toward Iran, though he expressed hope that military force would not be required. The deployment began earlier this month, with the warships moving from the Asia-Pacific region amid rising friction between Washington and Tehran.
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Tensions escalated after a crackdown on protests inside Iran, during which Trump repeatedly warned of possible US intervention if Iranian authorities continued to kill demonstrators. While nationwide protests have since eased, the US president said he had been informed that killings were subsiding and that there were no immediate plans for mass executions of detainees.
The United States has a history of reinforcing its military posture in the Middle East during periods of heightened tension, often framing such moves as defensive. However, last year Washington carried out a significant military buildup ahead of its June strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities, underscoring the potential risks associated with large-scale deployments.
Beyond the carrier strike group, the Pentagon is also repositioning fighter jets and air-defence systems to the region. Over the weekend, the US military announced plans to conduct an exercise aimed at demonstrating its ability to rapidly deploy and sustain combat airpower.
Iran has warned that any attack would be viewed as an act of war. A senior Iranian official last week described a potential US strike as triggering “all-out war”.
Read More: Türkiye warns Israel may strike Iran soon
Meanwhile, the United Arab Emirates said it would not allow its airspace, territory or waters to be used for hostile actions against Iran, despite hosting the strategically important Al Dhafra Air Base near Abu Dhabi.