The United States is reinforcing its forces in the Middle East to provide President Donald Trump with “decisive” options against Iran.
Amid rising tensions with Iran, the United States is steadily amassing military force in the region, according to open-source intelligence analysts, media outlets covering the U.S. military and American newspapers reporting. According to The Wall Street Journal, President Donald Trump has continued to press his advisers for “decisive” military options against Iran, even after backing away from a strike last week. Senior U.S. officials told the paper that the president repeatedly uses the word “decisive” when describing the impact he wants any American action against Iran to have.
At the center of the buildup is the movement of the aircraft carrier USSAbraham Lincoln and its strike group, which includes destroyers, F-35 jets and additional combat aircraft. According to maritime tracking websites, the carrier passed through the Malacca Strait on Tuesday and was heading west toward the Persian Gulf, several days away. After leaving the heavily trafficked shipping lane, the vessel has been sailing without activating its AIS transponder, which enables open-source tracking.
The aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush also departed Norfolk, Virginia, on Tuesday. Online assessments suggest it may also be heading to the region, though no official confirmation has been issued, and in any case, its arrival would take at least several weeks. Meanwhile, air traffic to the region continues. F-15 fighter jets arrived in Jordan on Sunday, according to flight-tracking data and senior U.S. officials who spoke with WSJ. On Tuesday, U.S. Central Command publicly acknowledged the movement and released a photo of an F-15 landing at one of its bases. “The F-15’s presence enhances combat readiness and promotes regional security and stability,” the command said in an X post. (Read More)
The aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush also departed Norfolk, Virginia, on Tuesday. Online assessments suggest it may also be heading to the region, though no official confirmation has been issued, and in any case, its arrival would take at least several weeks. Meanwhile, air traffic to the region continues. F-15 fighter jets arrived in Jordan on Sunday, according to flight-tracking data and senior U.S. officials who spoke with WSJ. On Tuesday, U.S. Central Command publicly acknowledged the movement and released a photo of an F-15 landing at one of its bases. “The F-15’s presence enhances combat readiness and promotes regional security and stability,” the command said in an X post. (Read More)
