A Look at US Military Assets En Route to the Middle East

The United States has begun repositioning key Navy and Air Force assets toward the Middle East, a move that has raised regional and international concerns about a possible escalation with Iran.

President Donald Trump said a US “armada” is heading toward the Gulf, describing the deployment as a precautionary show of force as tensions build.

At the center of the movement is a US aircraft carrier strike group, including the USS Abraham Lincoln, which changed course from the South China Sea toward the Middle East.

The carrier group is accompanied by destroyers equipped with Tomahawk cruise missiles and advanced air and missile defense systems designed to counter potential ballistic or aerial threats.

The deployment echoes a similar US military buildup in mid-2025, which preceded strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities during Israel’s war with Tehran. Iranian officials have since warned that any attack on Iranian territory would make US bases across the region legitimate targets, signaling readiness for retaliation.

The rising tensions are already having ripple effects beyond military planning. Some international airlines have suspended or delayed flights, citing regional airspace risks, while Washington has imposed new sanctions targeting Iranian oil shipments.