The United States has amassed its largest concentration of air power in the Middle East since the 2003 invasion of Iraq, according to a report by The Wall Street Journal. Newly released photographs from the U.S. Navy show a striking scene aboard the deck of the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln, currently stationed in the Indian Ocean, depicting heightened operational readiness.
This marks the most extensive military buildup by Washington in more than two decades—since the “Shock and Awe” campaign that initiated the Iraq War.
The escalation comes as President Donald Trump considers potential military responses to Iran’s harsh suppression of nationwide anti-government protests. Although Washington and Tehran remain engaged in discussions over Iran’s nuclear program, senior U.S. officials have indicated that meaningful progress has been limited.
In light of rising tensions, the U.S. has deployed multiple aircraft carriers and dozens of advanced fighter jets—including F-16s, F-22s, and F-35s—across the region.
Defense analysts note that the current posture suggests the possibility of a more sustained military operation than the limited B-2 bomber strikes the U.S. conducted last June during the Israel-Iran conflict, which targeted select Iranian nuclear facilities.
The report underscores that the rapidly intensifying situation has cast a shadow of a potential large-scale confrontation over Middle Eastern airspace, raising concerns among regional observers and global policymakers.
Source: The Times of Israel.