The US military is amassing forces for a potential strike against Iran.
Dozens of warships, including a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, and hundreds of combat aircraft are ready to attack Iran if necessary.
An Air and Naval Armada Is Headed for the Persian Gulf
The US military has amassed an air and naval armada to support potential strikes against Iran. The USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier strike group is approaching the area from the Indo-Pacific theater. The nuclear-powered aircraft carrier carries nine air squadrons of F-35C Lightning II stealth fighter jets, F/A-18E/F Super Hornet fighter jets, EA-18G Electronic Warfare jets, and helicopters. It is also escorted by three Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers, each of which can fire dozens of Tomahawk land attack cruise missiles.
In addition to the Lincoln’s strike group, there are an additional six Arleigh Burke-class destroyers in the Arabian Sea, the Red Sea, and the Mediterranean Sea. Also, the Navy almost certainly has guided-missile submarines in the region to support potential strikes with their Tomahawk arsenal.
Furthermore, there are significant air assets stationed in nearby Middle Eastern countries, as well as in bases in Europe. The US Air Force has approximately 54 F-35A Lightning II stealth fighter jets and 35 F-15E Strike Eagles fighter jets stationed in RAF Lakenheath in the United Kingdom, 37 F-15E Strike Eagles and two squadrons of A-10 Thunderbolt attack jets stationed in Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan, as well as at least one squadron of F-16 Fighting Falcon fighter jets in Italy.
Finally, the Air Force has dozens of B-1 Lancer, B-2 Spirit, and B-52 Stratofortress strategic bombers ready to deploy from the continental US for precision strikes. Transport aircraft have been making regular flights to the Middle East, too.
All of this information is based on open-source sources, including information provided by the Pentagon and the White House.
Trump’s Message to Iran: Make Your Move
“A massive Armada is heading to Iran. It is moving quickly, with great power, enthusiasm, and purpose. It is a larger fleet, headed by the great Aircraft Carrier Abraham Lincoln, than that sent to Venezuela,” President Trump said in a post on his Truth Social social media platform on Wednesday morning.
Trump emphasized that the strike group, as well as other US military assets in the region, are “ready, willing, and able to rapidly fulfill [their] mission, with speed and violence, if necessary.”
However, Trump gave another dimension to the situation. He urged Iran to “quickly come to the table” and negotiate a settlement to its longstanding issues with the West, including its nuclear weapons program. Beyond merely stopping the regime’s ongoing crackdown against street protests, the president’s words suggest that the US military deployment is intended to find a lasting solution to Iran’s nuclear program—one way or another.
Trump also cautioned the Iranian regime to pay attention to precedent. He highlighted that Iran did not make a deal with regard to its nuclear weapons program in the past—and its intransigence led to Operation Midnight Hammer, when the US military launched a series of precision strikes against several Iranian nuclear weapon facilities with B-2 Spirit stealth strategic bombers and Tomahawk land attack cruise missiles.
“Time is running out, it is truly of the essence! The next attack will be far worse! Don’t make that happen again,” Trump concluded.
About the Author: Stavros Atlamazoglou
Stavros Atlamazoglou is a seasoned defense journalist specializing in special operations and a Hellenic Army veteran (national service with the 575th Marine Battalion and Army HQ). He holds a BA from the Johns Hopkins University and an MA from the Johns Hopkins’ School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS). His work has been featured in Business Insider, Sandboxx, and SOFREP.
Image: Shutterstock / Philip Yabut.
