USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group reaches Middle Eastern waters
The carrier's presence gives the White House greater options to authorize strikes deep within Iranian territory while reducing the potential risk of regional blowback.
WASHINGTON — The US Navy aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln has entered Middle Eastern waters, a US official told Al-Monitor.
The carrier, carrying F/A-18 and F-35 squadrons and accompanied by multiple destroyers, was redirected to the region earlier this month as US President Donald Trump weighs options with top White House advisers regarding possible strikes on Iran.
Its presence reinforces at least three F-15 squadrons already stationed nearby, along with additional US air defense batteries deployed in recent weeks. Other US Navy guided-missile destroyers have been positioned in the Gulf and the Red Sea.
Trump repeatedly threatened earlier this month to strike Iran's government for its violent repression of mass anti-government protests. The president appears to have vacillated on whether to authorize the strikes. "Maybe we won’t have to use it, but we’ll see," he said of the carrier strike group as it headed toward Iran last week.
US Navy Adm. Brad Cooper, the Pentagon's top commander for the region, met with senior Israeli military officials over the weekend, including what an Israeli army spokesperson described as a "lengthy personal meeting" with Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Maj. Gen. Eyal Zamir.
The IDF's statement on the meetings did not mention Iran. US CENTCOM has not released a statement on Cooper's visit to Israel as of publication.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
