How US military is deploying its arsenal to strike Iran: Full breakdown amid Trump’s fresh warning
Trump, on January 22, spoke about a “great aramada” heading to Iran, where he referred to aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln and its carrier strike group.
The US military is allegedly ready for a potential strike on Iran as soon as this weekend. (AI Generated Image)
The US military, in recent weeks, has reportedly been closing in with its buildup near Iran as President Donald Trump had last month promised the protesting Iranians that “help was coming” and referred to the military buildup in the region as “armada”.
Trump, on January 22, spoke about a “great aramada” heading to Iran, where he referred to the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln and its carrier strike group. The BBC has now confirmed, using satellite imagery, that the location of USS Abraham Lincoln is near Iran.
The US military is allegedly ready for a potential strike on Iran as soon as this weekend, The Guardian reported, citing unnamed sources on Wednesday. The report added that President Trump is yet to take a call on whether to go ahead with the strike on Tehran.
US President Donald Trump and Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. (Reuters file/AI-enhanced image)
What Trump has said on Iran
However, during the Board of Peace meeting on Thursday, the US president warned Iran that a “meaningful deal” needs to happen otherwise “bad things will happen”.
In a statement, Trump said, “Good talks are being had. It’s proven to be, over the years, not easy to make a meaningful deal with Iran. We have to make a meaningful deal, otherwise, bad things happen, but we have to make a meaningful deal.”
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This image shows navy ships conducting operations during a join drill by Iranian and Russian forces in the Indian Ocean. (Iranian Army via AP)
Military buildup near Iran
The USS Abraham Lincoln and its carrier strike group will be joined shortly by USS Gerald Ford and its strike group, a Sky News report stated. In the next 24 hours, the Gerald Ford will be passing through the Gibraltar Strait and is expected to reach its destination in the south of Cyprus in around four days.
The region is set to have 11 known and named US destroyers, which will include two Nimitz-class carriers and Tomahawk-carrying destroyers that will bring an extra pair of air defence. They are set to join three Littoral Combat Ships, which are already stationed in the region, the outlet reported.
Every carrier strike group also reportedly includes a nuclear attack submarine, most probably of the Virginia class. If President Trump orders the US military to initiate action, the carrier’s stealthy F-35 fighters and F/A-18 attack planes are within striking distance of Iran’s several targets.
Defence against retaliation
Covering the retaliatory tactics which Iran could deploy, America’s strategic and tactical airlifters, including Globemaster flights, were deployed to bring air defence assets to US bases in the region.
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The air defence batteries of Israel’s ‘Iran Dome’ have also been moved from its frontier with Gaza to the borders in the east, Sky News reported. It could have been done considering an Iranian retaliation in the event of a potential US strike.
Though the movement of American warships and aeroplanes does not solidify that the US is going to strike Iran, it, however, gives President Trump an edge to carry out if the Republican leader chooses to do so.
Which military assets has the US moved to the Middle East?
According to a BBC report, images publicly available from the European Sentinel-2 satellites show that at least 12 US ships have gathered in the Middle East region.
Abraham Lincoln
Nimitz-class carrier
Three Arleigh Burke-class destroyers
Two destroyers
Three specialist ships for combat
Two other destroyers in the eastern Mediterranean
Among the US aircraft being deployed in the Middle East are:
Nischai Vats is a Deputy Copy Editor at The Indian Express. His work primarily covers US politics and visa and immigration policy, alongside broader international developments, with an emphasis on accuracy, verification, and clear explainers.
Experience
Nischai joined The Indian Express in May 2024 where he works on writing, editing, and refining high-impact stories for digital platforms. His role involves ensuring editorial consistency, factual accuracy, and clarity in coverage of complex policy-driven subjects.
Earlier in his career, he worked across Indian digital newsrooms in reporting and editing roles, including stints at Inshorts, Newslaundry, Tiranga TV, and Catch News. His newsroom experience spans rapid digital publishing, ground reporting, and copy editing across national, civic, and policy beats.
Expertise
His core areas of focus include:
US politics and governance: Coverage of American political developments, executive actions, and policy shifts.
US visa and immigration policy: Reporting and editing stories on visa categories, regulatory changes, and immigration pathways affecting global audiences.
Editorial accuracy and copy editing: Ensuring clarity, language precision, and verification in fast-paced digital news environments.
Authoritativeness and trustworthiness
Nischai's journalism is grounded in verified sources, official documentation, and clear attribution, in line with The Indian Express’ editorial standards. His background across reporting and editing enables him to translate complex policy updates into reliable, reader-friendly coverage. ... Read More
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The US military is allegedly ready for a potential strike on Iran as soon as this weekend. (AI Generated Image) 
