USS Abraham Lincoln Deploys to Middle East Amid Rising U.S.-Iran Tensions

The USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier, along with several guided-missile destroyers, has arrived in the Middle East amid escalating tensions and concerns that President Donald Trump could order a strike on Iran.

Last week, Trump warned that a U.S. “armada” was heading to the region and said his administration was closely monitoring Iran following weeks of deadly protests across the country. “We have a lot of ships going that direction, just in case … I’d rather not see anything happen, but we’re watching them very closely,” he told reporters aboard Air Force One. “We have an armada … heading in that direction, and maybe we won’t have to use it.”

The U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed that the Abraham Lincoln and its strike group were sailing in the Indian Ocean, marking the first public acknowledgment that the carrier had reached the Central Command’s area of responsibility. The deployment comes alongside planned U.S. military exercises intended to “demonstrate the ability to deploy, disperse, and sustain combat airpower” in the region, signaling a more aggressive foreign policy posture in Trump’s second term.

The strike group includes the aircraft carrier and three guided-missile destroyers — the USS Frank E. Petersen Jr., the USS Spruance, and the USS Michael Murphy. Onboard the Abraham Lincoln are squadrons of F/A-18E/F Super Hornets, EA-18G Growlers, F-35C fighter jets, and MH-60R/S helicopters.

Trump has repeatedly warned Iran’s leaders against targeting peaceful demonstrators, who began large-scale protests in late December, and against executing those detained during the unrest.

Iran has responded with strong warnings. Over the weekend, Gen. Mohammad Pakpour of the Revolutionary Guard Corps told the U.S. and Israel to avoid “any miscalculation,” saying their forces had their “finger on the trigger” and were ready to act on the orders of Iran’s Commander-in-Chief. On Monday, Gen. Reza Talaei-Nik, spokesperson for Iran’s Defense Ministry, warned that any attack by Israel or the U.S. would be met with a “response more painful and decisive than in the past.”

Observers say the presence of the carrier strike group, coupled with U.S. air and naval power, could enable a military strike aimed at weakening or toppling the Iranian government. In the absence of diplomatic breakthroughs, the uncertainty contributed to a record daily fall in the Iranian stock market on Monday.

Regional powers, including the United Arab Emirates, have stated they will not allow their airspace or waters to be used for an attack on Iran. However, the deployment of the Abraham Lincoln in the Mediterranean means an attack could proceed without relying on permission from many third-party countries.