Shafaq News– Middle East

The United States is moving the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln and three destroyers toward the Gulf, Israeli media reported on Saturday, as tensions between Washington and Iran rise.

Israeli media clarified that that the carrier strike group, which recently transited the South China Sea, is expected to join US naval assets already operating in the Gulf. A US official earlier confirmed to Shafaq News that American forces are repositioning in the region following President Donald Trump’s warnings of possible military action against Tehran.

Trump has repeatedly threatened strikes against Iran over its handling of recent protests, most recently vowing that a “massive fleet” is heading toward the country, though US officials have not detailed the mission or timeline.

Gulf states including Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Oman have urged Washington to delay any military action, warning that strikes inside Iran could trigger wider regional escalation, sources told AFP.

Iranian officials have rejected Western accusations of killing protesters, instead blaming foreign powers for fomenting unrest. The Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) has reported over 4,000 deaths and tens of thousands of arrests during the now-subsiding protests, though independent verification has been hindered by internet restrictions.

Read more: Washington holds back: Calculated pressure, not war, shapes US policy toward Iran