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In recent weeks, the United States has increased its military presence near Iran, deploying additional naval assets to the region as President Donald Trump considers potential military action. Trump has described the buildup as an “armada,” though administration officials have not publicly detailed specific objectives tied to the deployment, The New York Times reported this week.
The force includes the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln, accompanied by three guided-missile warships equipped with Tomahawk cruise missiles. Those vessels were previously used in strikes on two Iranian nuclear facilities last June, when the United States joined Israel in coordinated attacks.
The accompanying warships also carry air defense systems designed to protect the carrier strike group. Aircraft aboard the Lincoln — including F-35 stealth fighters and F/A-18 attack aircraft — are positioned within operational range of numerous targets inside Iran.
“In a major increase of firepower, the U.S. recently ordered a second aircraft carrier strike group to the region. This includes the Navy’s most advanced aircraft carrier, the U.S.S. Gerald R. Ford, and three of its accompanying destroyers. The Ford’s warplanes were used in the Jan. 3 attack on Venezuela that captured President Nicolás Maduro,” The Times reported.
Furthermore, a second destroyer has been deployed to the Northern Arabian Sea, with another one on its way, raising the total number of destroyers in the broader region to 13, according to a Navy official.
The Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in eastern Jordan seems to have become a key hub for the U.S. air assets involved in this military buildup. Between mid-January and mid-February, at least two waves of attack aircraft arrived at the base, increasing the total number stationed there to over 60.
In addition to the attack aircraft, four electronic warfare jets, which are designed to jam radar and communication systems, arrived in Jordan at the end of January. A satellite image from January 30 revealed that at least five MQ-9 Reaper drones were present at the base, The Times reported.
On February 24, the U.S. deployed 11 F-22 stealth fighter jets to the Ovda air base in southern Israel. Flight tracking data and satellite imagery indicate that the United States is also moving additional aircraft into the region, including refueling planes and reconnaissance aircraft equipped with advanced sensors and cameras. Furthermore, dozens of tanker and cargo aircraft have recently repositioned from the United States to bases across Europe to support the forces in the Middle East, the outlet added.
“And the Pentagon has dispatched more Patriot and THAAD air defenses to the region to help protect troops there from retaliatory strikes by Iranian short- and medium-range missiles. There are about 30,000 to 40,000 U.S. troops in the region,” said The Times.
Long-range bombers stationed in the United States that can strike targets in Iran are currently on a higher-than-usual alert status. The Pentagon raised this alert level in January after President Trump requested options to respond to the government’s crackdown on protests in Iran.
Since then, several special operations, surveillance, and refueling aircraft have been deployed to the Diego Garcia military base in the Indian Ocean. This base is recognized as a forward deployment airfield for long-range B-2 stealth bombers, said the report.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) called on President Trump on Tuesday to clarify his objectives regarding the increasing pressure campaign and military buildup aimed at Iran.
The request followed a classified briefing earlier in the day for senior congressional leaders, during which Cabinet officials provided updates on the developing situation in Iran.
Other lawmakers also expressed serious concerns in response to the briefing.
“It’s very serious and the president has an obligation to make his goals public,” Schumer told Jewish Insider after the briefing.
