Amid large-scale protests in Iran, Donald Trump has been making thinly veiled threats against the country
Fox News, citing anonymous military sources, has reported that the US has sent at least one aircraft carrier to the Middle East. This deployment follows recent thinly veiled threats against Iran by President Donald Trump.
Since late December, the Islamic Republic has been experiencing widespread protests driven by public dissatisfaction with rising inflation and the steep depreciation of the Iranian rial. These protests rapidly turned into violent clashes with security forces, which are said to have led to hundreds of fatalities. Tehran has attributed the unrest to the US and Israel.
On Thursday, Fox News stated that the warship reportedly en route to the area could be the USS Abraham Lincoln or one of two carriers that left Norfolk and San Diego earlier this week. The outlet noted that Washington currently has three destroyers and three Littoral Combat Ships in the region.
Unnamed sources told the outlet that Washington is also expected to strengthen its military presence around Iran with air and ground strike capabilities, along with missile defense systems, in the coming days and weeks. Anonymous officials referred to this as “setting the force,” a move that would allow for “offensive” military operations if Trump chooses to pursue them.
Also on Thursday, NBC, citing multiple sources with knowledge of the situation, reported that Trump was weighing a swift and decisive strike against the Iranian government rather than engaging in a prolonged conflict. The outlet claimed that the US president has thus far been reluctant to order an attack, as his advisors are presumably unable to ensure that military action would lead to the immediate overthrow of Iranian authorities.
Media reports have also indicated that several Gulf countries have privately contacted Trump in an effort to discourage him from launching strikes against Iran, fearing broader regional instability and disruptions to the global oil market.
This week, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told reporters that Washington’s threats to use force against Iran were “absolutely unacceptable.”