ABC: Pentagon prepares for possible Middle East buildup as US–Iran tensions escalate

The Pentagon is expected to deploy additional military assets to the Middle East in the coming days, multiple sources familiar with internal discussions confirmed. Among the potential reinforcements is the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group, ABC News reports.

Such a move is considered a standard precaution during periods of heightened tension, particularly given the roughly 30,000 US troops currently stationed across the region in countries including Qatar, Jordan, Syria, and Iraq. The additional firepower is intended to deter attacks on US bases while providing President Donald Trump with expanded military options against Iran, if he chooses.

“Examples of assets that could be surged include an aircraft carrier strike group accompanied by cruisers and missile destroyers, as well as Air Force fighter squadrons and land-based air missile defense systems,” officials said.

The discussions come amid escalating tensions following Trump’s threats to strike Iran over violent clashes with protesters. Iranian officials responded by warning they would retaliate against US bases if such strikes occurred.

One source familiar with the discussions noted that Trump was advised that a military strike on Iran could be “extraordinarily dangerous” and risk the lives of US service members, particularly if Tehran perceived its government to be on the brink of collapse.

Trump has, for now, opted against immediate strikes, stating that the United States had been told “on good authority” that the killing of protesters in Iran had stopped. He also claimed that 800 planned executions in Iran had been halted, though this could not be independently verified. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi denied that Tehran had any plans to execute protesters.

Several sources noted long-standing concerns among US officials that the current military posture in the Middle East may not be sufficient to defend against a potentially massive retaliatory strike from Iran, particularly because much of the US military had been deployed to the Caribbean to support the capture of Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro.

Currently, there is no aircraft carrier in the Middle East, though officials report six Navy ships, including three missile destroyers, are in the region. The Pentagon declined to comment on the potential deployment. If the USS Abraham Lincoln is sent from the South China Sea, the journey is expected to take more than a week. Satellite imagery earlier this week reportedly showed the carrier departing from the Philippines.

By Vafa Guliyeva