US moved an aircraft carrier to the Middle East amid an imminent attack on Iran

The Pentagon has begun moving the strike group of the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln from the South China Sea toward the area of responsibility of the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), which covers the Middle East, North Africa, and Central Asia, in a context of growing tension between Washington and Tehran.

Sources cited by international media indicated that the operation will take approximately one week and is part of a strategic reinforcement of the U.S. military presence in the region.

The deployment coincides with the temporary closure of Iranian airspace and with the preventive evacuation of U.S. personnel from some key bases in the Middle East, such as Al Udeid in Qatar, in what authorities described as a "change of posture" without specifying the causes. In addition, the U.S. embassy in Jerusalem issued security alerts for citizens and the United Kingdom advises against nonessential travel to Israel.

The decision comes as Iran faces massive domestic protests that have left thousands dead, according to human rights groups, and is considering expedited trials and executions of dissidents.

In Washington, the Trump administration is analyzing various options for supporting the protesters and military measures, amid mutual accusations between Iran and the West over backing for the unrest.

The movement of USS Abraham Lincoln, together with other strategic deployments of U.S. forces in the region, reflects Washington's concern for the security of its troops and allies in the face of the possibility of a direct confrontation, although sources indicate that this is not an immediate military action, but rather a preventive positioning in a scenario of growing instability.

This reinforcement coincides with the presence of anti-government protests in Iran since December 2025, which emerged due to the deterioration of the economy and state repression, raising international concern about security in the Persian Gulf and the Levant.