Pentagon moving carrier strike group to Middle East amid rising Iran tensions: Reports

WASHINGTON: The US Defence Headquarters, the Pentagon has stated that it is redeploying a US carrier strike group from the South China Sea to the US Central Command (CENTCOM) area of responsibility, which includes the Middle East, as tensions escalate between the Trump administration and Iran as the Islamic Republic deals with widespread anti-government rallies driven by soaring inflation, economic hardship and mounting public anger over governance, US based news network News Nation reported, citing sources on Wednesday.

According to News Nation, citing sources, the carrier strike group — centred on an aircraft carrier and supported by multiple warships, including at least one attack submarine — is expected to take around a week. The USS Abraham Lincoln is reported to be the aircraft carrier heading to the region.

The deployment marks a significant shift of US military assets and comes against the backdrop of growing unrest in Iran and ongoing deliberations in Washington over potential US support for protesters challenging the Islamic Republic’s ruling establishment.

BREAKING — HAPPENING NOW:

The United States is rapidly redeploying the entire USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group out of the South China Sea and steaming full speed toward the Middle East as the U.S. prepares to unleash major strikes on Iran. pic.twitter.com/16XDQNI78q

— Ian Miles Cheong (@ianmiles) January 15, 2026

According to News Nation, CENTCOM’s area of responsibility spans more than 4 million square miles across Northeast Africa, the Middle East, Central Asia, and South Asia and includes 21 countries, including Egypt, Iraq, Afghanistan, Iran, and Pakistan.

Officials have not publicly commented on the specific objectives of the redeployment, but the move underscores heightened US military readiness amid rising regional tensions.

Earlier, CNN, citing sources, reported that some personnel stationed at the US’s largest military base in the Middle East have been advised to leave as a precautionary measure, amid rising regional tensions over Washington’s possibility of military action against Iran.

According to CNN, citing a US official familiar with the matter, the directive applies to certain staff at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar and reflects heightened security concerns rather than an immediate threat.

At the same time, the US Embassy in Saudi Arabia has urged its personnel to exercise increased caution, limit non-essential travel to military installations in the region, and ensure personal safety plans are in place.

Concern is also growing among countries neighbouring Iran, which fear that any military strike could destabilise the region and trigger wider security and economic repercussions. These concerns have prompted regional governments to engage directly with the Trump administration to convey their apprehensions.

On Monday, US President Donald Trump was briefed on a broad range of military and covert options that could be employed against the Islamic Republic, extending well beyond conventional airstrikes amid escalating anti-governmental protests in Iran and Washington issuing warnings to Tehran over its treatment of the protestors, CBS News reported, citing two US Defence Department officials.

According to CBS News, the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of national security discussions, said the options include integrated military, cyber, and psychological operations.

According to the most recent verified data from the Human Rights Activist News Agency (HRANA), Iran’s nationwide protests entered their 18th day amid an ongoing communications blackout, with at least 617 protest events having been recorded across 187 cities, with over 18,470 people arrested and 2,615 deaths confirmed so far. (ANI)