The United States has begun redeploying a major naval force from the Indo-Pacific to the Middle East as tensions rise sharply between Washington and Tehran amid widespread unrest inside Iran. The US Defence Headquarters, the Pentagon, has confirmed that a carrier strike group is being moved from the South China Sea to the area of responsibility of US Central Command (CENTCOM), which covers the Middle East.

US-based news network News Nation, citing sources, reported on Wednesday that the carrier strike group is centred on the USS Abraham Lincoln, an aircraft carrier supported by multiple surface warships and at least one attack submarine. The transit to the region is expected to take approximately one week.

The redeployment represents a notable shift in US military posture at a time when Iran is grappling with sustained anti-government protests triggered by soaring inflation, economic distress and growing public anger over governance failures. Demonstrations have erupted across several Iranian cities, posing one of the most serious internal challenges to the Islamic Republic in recent years.

The movement of the carrier strike group comes as policymakers in Washington debate possible responses, including diplomatic pressure and potential support for protesters challenging Iran’s ruling establishment. While US officials have not disclosed specific operational objectives, the deployment signals heightened readiness and underscores growing concern within the Trump administration over the rapidly evolving situation in Iran and its wider regional implications.

The United States has begun redeploying a major naval force from the Indo-Pacific to the Middle East as tensions rise sharply between Washington and Tehran amid widespread unrest inside Iran. The US Defence Headquarters, the Pentagon, has confirmed that a carrier strike group is being moved from the South China Sea to the area of responsibility of US Central Command (CENTCOM), which covers the Middle East.

US-based news network News Nation, citing sources, reported on Wednesday that the carrier strike group is centred on the USS Abraham Lincoln, an aircraft carrier supported by multiple surface warships and at least one attack submarine. The transit to the region is expected to take approximately one week.

The redeployment represents a notable shift in US military posture at a time when Iran is grappling with sustained anti-government protests triggered by soaring inflation, economic distress and growing public anger over governance failures. Demonstrations have erupted across several Iranian cities, posing one of the most serious internal challenges to the Islamic Republic in recent years.

The movement of the carrier strike group comes as policymakers in Washington debate possible responses, including diplomatic pressure and potential support for protesters challenging Iran’s ruling establishment. While US officials have not disclosed specific operational objectives, the deployment signals heightened readiness and underscores growing concern within the Trump administration over the rapidly evolving situation in Iran and its wider regional implications.