US carrier strike group is now in the Middle East region, sources say

By Zachary Cohen, Mostafa Salem, Oren Liebermann, CNN

(CNN) — The USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group is now in the Indian Ocean, putting it closer to assist in any potential US operations targeting Iran, two sources told CNN.

The group is within the area of responsibility of US Central Command, whose purview includes military operations in the Middle East.

Still, the carrier is not necessarily in a final position for any potential operation. President Donald Trump continues to consider options for striking Iran but there is no indication any decision has been made.

A carrier strike group normally includes an aircraft carrier, guided missile cruisers, anti-aircraft warships and anti-submarine destroyers or frigates.

CNN has previously reported the carrier was enroute to the region.

Allies have been urging the US to forestall any military action.

This comes as the death toll from Iran’s crackdown on protesters continues to climb. On Sunday, the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) reported that 5,520 protesters had been killed demonstrations started this month. It said that an additional 17,091 deaths were still being reviewed.

Trump has warned Iran against killing protesters, repeatedly threatening to intervene in the country if it does so. Last week, however, he said that Iran “wants to talk” suggesting that the US may enter talks.

Meanwhile, the Islamic Republic is bracing for a potential US attack. In Tehran, a large mural was unveiled in Revolution Square on Sunday depicting a swarm of jet fighters flying over a warship bearing the US flag.

During Friday prayers in the capital, the imam leading the sermon warned the US against launching any attacks.

“The trillion dollars you invested in the region are under the watch of our missiles,” Mohammad Ali Akbari said.

Iran has been escalating its rhetoric against the US over the past week, warning that any attack would be met with force capable of destabilizing the entire Middle East.

Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei told journalists Monday that Tehran is “more than capable” of responding to any aggression from the US with a “regretful” response.

“The arrival of one or several warships does not impact Iran’s defensive determination,” he said. “Our armed forces are monitoring every development and are not wasting a single second to enhance their capabilities.”

On Saturday, the Iranian military said its missile capabilities and efficiency have increased significantly since the 12-day war with Israel in June. Iran launched multiple waves of missile and drone attacks at Israeli targets during that conflict, which started after Israel launched a surprise attack on Iran last year, killing several top military commanders and nuclear scientists. The United States later joined, targeting key Iranian nuclear facilities.

Iran possesses a large arsenal of medium- and long-range ballistic missiles, several types of which were fired at Israel during the conflict. Its drones, a pillar of its military power, have also been deployed beyond its borders, including Russia’s war in Ukraine.

Major General Ali Abdollahi, the commander of Iran’s Khatam Al Anbiyah Central Headquarters, a key military operational command, said last week that any aggression against his country “will immediately turn all American interests, bases, and centers of influence into legitimate, definite, and accessible targets” for Iran.

Iranian officials have also warned that a US attack would lead to strikes on Washington’s allies in the region. US-allied Gulf Arab nations have lobbied Trump against a strike, according to regional officials speaking to CNN this month.

Iran also has a network of regional proxies that could potentially be mobilized in the event of a strike. While some of its surrogates, like Hezbollah, have been significantly weakened by Israel over the past two years, others remain heavily armed.

On Sunday, Abu Hussein al-Hamidawi, the commander of Kataeb Hezbollah, a pro-Iranian militia in Iraq, called on Iran’s loyalists “across the globe … to prepare for all-out war in support of the Islamic Republic of Iran.”

“We tell the enemies, the war against the (Islamic) Republic, will not be a walk in the park,” he said.

CNN’s Nadeen Ebrahim contributed to this report.

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