US Aircraft Carrier Heading to Middle East

By Staff, Agencies 

The US has deployed at least one aircraft carrier to the Middle East, Fox News has reported, citing anonymous military sources. It comes on the heels of thinly-veiled threats against Iran in recent days by President Donald Trump.

On Thursday, Fox News reported that the warship reportedly on route to the region might be the USS Abraham Lincoln or one of two carriers that departed Norfolk and San Diego earlier this week. The outlet added that at present, Washington already has three destroyers and three Littoral Combat Ships in the region.

Washington will also likely reinforce its military presence around Iran with air and ground strike capabilities, as well as missile defense systems in the coming days and weeks, unnamed sources told the outlet. Anonymous officials described this as “setting the force,” which would enable “offensive” military action should Trump opt for it.

Also, NBC, citing multiple sources familiar with the matter, reported that Trump was considering delivering a swift and decisive blow to the Iranian government, as opposed to getting entangled in a prolonged conflict. With his advisers presumably unable to guarantee that military action would result in the immediate toppling of the Iranian authorities, the US president has so far been hesitant to order an attack, the outlet claimed.

There have also been media reports that several Gulf nations have privately reached out to Trump in an attempt to dissuade him from launching strikes against Iran for fear of broader regional instability and a disruption to the global oil market.