US President Donald Trump has confirmed that the United States has dispatched a large naval armada toward Iran, saying the move is intended to keep Tehran “under close watch.”
Speaking to reporters on Thursday (January 22) while returning to Washington from the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Trump said the deployment was a precautionary measure.
“We have sent an armada toward Iran,” the president said. “If necessary—though I’m not saying anything is going to happen—we may not even need to use it. But we are keeping them under very close surveillance.”
According to multiple senior officials in the Trump administration who spoke to Reuters on condition of anonymity, the fleet includes the aircraft carrier USS Abraham along with several guided-missile destroyers. The naval group is expected to position itself near Iran’s coastline within the coming days.
One US official said Washington believes Iran could launch missile strikes targeting American military bases in the Middle East at any time in the near future. As a preventive measure, the naval deployment includes advanced air defence systems designed to intercept potential attacks.
The fleet is also carrying large quantities of ammunition, missiles, drones and explosives, the official added, underscoring US preparedness for a range of contingencies.
US officials said the armada began its journey toward Iran last week after departing from the Asia-Pacific region, amid rising regional tensions.
Source: Reuters