The US has deployed the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group to the Middle East amid rising tensions with Iran and regional unrest.
USS Abraham Lincoln redeployed to Middle East as US-Iran tensions escalate (Source: Reuters)
Iran Unrest: The United States is redeploying a carrier strike group from the South China Sea to the US Central Command’s area of responsibility, which covers the Middle East, as tensions rise between the Trump administration and Iran, according to multiple reports.
A source told CNN that moving the USS Abraham Lincoln to the Middle East is expected to take around a week. The decision to move such major US military assets comes at a sensitive time, as Iran faces internal unrest and growing questions remain over whether the White House could consider military action in support of protesters challenging Iran’s clerical leadership.
The US Central Command’s “area of responsibility” spans a vast region, including Northeast Africa, the Middle East, Central Asia, and South Asia. It covers 21 countries, among them Egypt, Iraq, Afghanistan, Iran, and Pakistan, making it one of the most strategically important military regions for the United States.
The USS Abraham Lincoln is part of a carrier strike group, a powerful naval formation built around an aircraft carrier and supported by other warships, including at least one attack submarine. This group is capable of deploying large numbers of fighter aircraft and launching Tomahawk cruise missiles.
According to the US Naval Institute’s fleet tracker, the Abraham Lincoln is accompanied by three guided-missile destroyers. These Arleigh Burke-class destroyers protect the carrier from air and submarine threats and are armed with dozens of Tomahawk missiles capable of striking targets up to 1,000 miles away.
The USS Abraham Lincoln weighs more than 100,000 tons and measures nearly 1,100 feet in length. It can carry about 90 aircraft, including fighter jets such as the F/A-18 and F-35, along with helicopters.
The carrier acts as a mobile airfield operating in international waters. Its aircraft can launch long-range weapons from a safe distance, allowing missions to be carried out far from Iran’s coastline while keeping the ship out of direct danger.
The deployment of the USS Abraham Lincoln comes as tensions increase due to ongoing protests in Iran, raising speculation about a possible US military role in the region.
On Wednesday, Iran issued a “Notice to Air Missions," or NOTAM, restricting flights in and out of Tehran. Under the order, all flights except international flights were barred from operating in Iranian airspace.
As the situation worsened, some personnel at a major US military base in Qatar were advised to evacuate. Meanwhile, both the United Kingdom and India issued advisories warning against all but essential travel to Israel, which exchanged missile strikes with Iran last year.
US President Donald Trump has issued a series of unusually direct statements aimed at both Iran’s leadership and protesters. Iran responded by accusing the US President of encouraging political unrest, promoting violence, and undermining the country’s sovereignty, territorial integrity and national security.
Iranian officials have warned that any act of aggression would trigger a “forceful" response, including attacks on US military bases in the region and on Israel. In response, the US State Department released a security alert advising American staff and residents in Qatar to take extra precautions.
