A US carrier strike group has been flexing its muscles in a show of force to Iran

Ryan PickrellMay 20, 2019, 21:26 IST

An F-18 Super Hornet takes off from the deck of the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier in the Arabian SeaMass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Jeff Sherman, U.S. Navy via AP

A US aircraft carrier joined forces with a large amphibious assault ship in the Arabian Sea for joint drills near Iran.
The USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group and the USS Kearsarge Amphibious Ready Group, with the embarked 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit, trained to bolster their lethality as well as deter regional threats.
Over the past two weeks, tensions between Washington and Iran have been on the rise, raising the possibility of conflict.
Visit INSIDER's homepage for more stories.

The US Navy and Marine Corps have been flexing their muscles in the Arabian Sea as tensions with Iran mount, sparking fears of conflict.

The USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group joined forces with the USS Kearsarge Amphibious Ready Group and the embarked 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit for exercises over the weekend.

The USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group was recently deployed to the Middle East to deter Iran, which the US has accused of plotting attacks on US interests in the region. The USS Kearsarge - an amphibious assault ship that launches helicopters and tilt-rotor MV-22 Ospreys from its flight deck and landing craft from its well deck - was already operating in the area.

See A US carrier strike group has been flexing its muscles in a show of force to Iran >>

The exercises, which come on the heels of a deterrence patrol involving bombers and stealth fighters, were "aimed towards increasing our lethality and agility to respond to threats, and deterring destabilizing actions in this important region," said Rear Adm. John Wade, the strike group commander.

Source: US Navy

Tensions with Iran have been on the rise since the US detected "clear indications that Iranian and Iranian proxy forces were making preparations to possibly attack US forces in the region." While the nature of the threat has remained unclear, there have been reports the threat was against US interests in the region.

Source: US Central Command

On Sunday, President Donald Trump warned on Twitter that "if Iran wants to fight, that will be the official end of Iran."

The recent exercises in the Arabian Sea, which involved air-to-air training, steaming in formation and maneuvering, and establishing joint communications to rapidly create a suitable command and control environment, "are a demonstration of the steadfast commitment of the Navy to protect the United States, deter conflict and preserve strategic interests around the world," the Navy said in a statement.

Source: US Navy

Cookies on the Business Insider India website

A US carrier strike group has been flexing its muscles in a show of force to Iran

The exercises, which come on the heels of a deterrence patrol involving bombers and stealth fighters, were "aimed towards increasing our lethality and agility to respond to threats, and deterring destabilizing actions in this important region," said Rear Adm. John Wade, the strike group commander.

On Sunday, President Donald Trump warned on Twitter that "if Iran wants to fight, that will be the official end of Iran."