US deploys new forces to the Middle East
The US is deploying new military forces to the Middle East amid tensions with Iran. The aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt has departed San Diego and is heading to the region. Iranian authorities claim control over the Strait of Hormuz, while opposition sources report heightened combat readiness in Iran.
The US is deploying new military forces to the Middle East amid ongoing tensions between Washington and Tehran. The aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt has departed San Diego and is heading to the region, where it is set to relieve the USS George Washington. Its deployment is expected to last over seven months. The carrier carries approximately 5,000 sailors and Marines, along with up to 2,000 additional service members. The US Navy has taken into account lessons from previous long missions and has prepared extra supplies for the crew. From Tehran, harsh statements continue. Iranian officials say they have no intention of negotiating with Washington. Iranian media are calling for continued blocking of the Strait of Hormuz. A senior Iranian military official, Admiral Siyari, stated that the strait and the Persian Gulf are under full control of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy. IRGC representative Hossein Mohebi also said the Strait of Hormuz is an area of Iranian naval operations against American submarines. Sources in the Iranian opposition reported heightened military and security readiness in several provinces of the country. According to them, this occurred after Beijing relayed to Tehran information about possible US preparations for new strikes on military sites and energy infrastructure. A member of the foreign affairs committee of the National Council of Resistance of Iran said that "the broad heightened readiness does not appear to be a routine step." The sources also claim that Tehran is concerned about increased activity by armed opposition groups on Iran's borders. However, these reports of heightened readiness come from Iranian opposition sources and are not independently confirmed information.