1 hour ago
Last Updated:January 26, 2026, 23:38 IST
US Central Command said that the carrier and three destroyers are currently deployed to promote regional security and stability.
US Deploys USS Abraham Lincoln to Middle East as Iran Tensions Remain High
The US aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln and three accompanying warships have arrived in West Asia, as tensions with Iran remain high.
US Central Command said on Monday that the carrier and three destroyers are currently deployed to promote regional security and stability. The strike group was operating in the Indian Ocean, not the Arabian Sea, which borders Iran. The deployment brings thousands of additional US service members to the region.
First carrier in region for months
West Asia has not hosted a US aircraft carrier since October, when the USS Gerald R. Ford was sent to the Caribbean as part of a pressure campaign on Venezuela’s then president, Nicolás Maduro.
President Donald Trump said last week that the ships were sent to the region “just in case". He added that the US has a massive fleet heading there and that it may not have to be used.
Trump had earlier threatened military action if Iran carried out mass executions of prisoners or killed peaceful protesters during a crackdown that began in late December.
Conflicting claims on Iran executions
Activists say at least 5,973 people have been killed and more than 41,800 detained during the unrest. Iran’s official death toll is much lower, at 3,117.
Trump later claimed Iran halted the hanging of 800 detained protesters, though he did not explain the source of this information. Iran’s top prosecutor called the claim completely false.
Despite appearing to step back, Trump said on Thursday aboard Air Force One that any future US military action would make last year’s strikes on Iranian nuclear sites “look like peanuts" if executions went ahead.
Increased US military activity
Alongside the carrier group, the US military said Air Force F-15E Strike Eagle fighter jets are now present in the region. Analysts tracking flights have also observed dozens of US military cargo planes heading there.
The current activity mirrors last year’s buildup, when the US moved air defence systems such as Patriot missiles in anticipation of an Iranian response after strikes on three nuclear sites. Iran later launched more than a dozen missiles at Al Udeid Air Base following those attacks.
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First Published:
January 26, 2026, 23:38 IST
News world US Aircraft Carrier Enters Indian Ocean As Trump Sends Strike Group To West Asia Amid Iran Tensions
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