What happened
The US has massed a large naval armada in the Arabian Sea, with two aircraft carriers, the USS George Washington and USS George W Bush, accompanied by a heavily-armed flotilla of 17 warships. A third carrier strike group, led by the USS Theodore Roosevelt, is also steaming towards the Middle East, bringing the total number of American sailors and marines in the region to over 20,000.
President Trump has suggested that a decision on action against Iran is imminent, stating that 'it's going to get wrapped up soon' and that he needs a guarantee that Iran will never have a nuclear weapon. The US has previously struck Iranian nuclear facilities and military targets, and the current build-up of naval firepower and fighter jets suggests that another attack could be looming.
The potential targets of a US strike include the Pickaxe Mountain nuclear facility, which was previously struck by the US in 2025, as well as other Iranian power plants and military facilities. The US has also flown Patriot missile systems into the region to beef up its missile defenses, and has moved troops off bases deemed vulnerable to a counter-attack by Iran.
Iran has warned that it would retaliate against any US strike, targeting US military bases and civilian infrastructure in the region. The US has reportedly prepared for a potential war, with American troops drilling the preparation of mass graves to bury fallen troops.
