US military moves Navy, Air Force assets to the Middle East: What to know

Al JazeeraCenterEN 6 min read 100% complete by Yashraj SharmaJanuary 25, 2026 at 04:55 PM

AI Summary

long article 6 min

Amidst rising tensions with Iran, the United States is deploying a naval and air force build-up to the Gulf region as of January 2026. President Trump announced that a US "armada" is heading towards the area, including the aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln strike group, which was rerouted from the South China Sea. The deployed assets include Arleigh Burke-class destroyers with Tomahawk cruise missiles and the Aegis combat system for air and missile defense. This deployment follows a previous military build-up in June, preceding strikes on Iranian nuclear sites during Israel's conflict with Tehran. While Trump initially supported anti-government protesters in Iran, he has recently downplayed military rhetoric, though the purpose of the increased military presence remains unclear.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Qatar 30% Turkiye 30% South China Sea 35% Tehran ×240% Israel ×250% US Air Force 60% US Navy 70% USS Abraham Lincoln ×275% Middle East ×485% Donald Trump ×390% Iran ×1195% United States ×895%

Keywords

iran 100% us military 90% aircraft carrier strike group 80% middle east 80% gulf 70% donald trump 70% military escalation 70% tomahawk cruise missiles 60% nuclear sites 50% aegis combat system 50%