WASHINGTON: The recent arrival of an aircraft carrier strike group to the Middle East brings the number of US warships in the region to 10, putting significant firepower at President Donald Trump’s disposal if he decides to strike Iran.
The number of ships in the Middle East is now roughly equal to that sent to the Caribbean ahead of the US operation to capture Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro, which American forces carried out at the beginning of the year.
A US official, cited by AFP, on Wednesday put the total number of US ships in the Middle East at 10.
The figure includes the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier group, which boasts three destroyers and F-35C stealth warplanes.
There are also six other US warships operating in the region — three destroyers and three littoral combat ships.
“A massive Armada is heading to Iran,” Trump posted on his Truth Social platform Wednesday, saying: “Like with Venezuela, it is, ready, willing, and able to rapidly fulfil its mission, with speed and violence, if necessary.”
“Time is running out,” he added, urging Tehran to “MAKE A DEAL!”
Tehran’s mission to the United Nations hit back, saying in a post on X that the country “stands ready for dialogue” but “IF PUSHED, IT WILL DEFEND ITSELF AND RESPOND LIKE NEVER BEFORE!”
The carrier and its accompanying ships were ordered to the Middle East as Iran cracked down on protesters driven by economic grievances.
Trump had repeatedly warned Iran that if it killed protesters, the United States would intervene militarily, and also encouraged Iranians to take over state institutions, saying “help is on the way.”
He pulled back from ordering strikes earlier this month, saying Tehran had halted more than 800 executions under pressure from Washington, but has since renewed threats against Iran.
