The United States has sent the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln with three destroyers to the Indian Ocean near the Middle East. This deployment raises the possibility of military action against Iran amid its brutal protests crackdown. The US Central Command confirmed the carrier strike group is not currently in the Arabian Sea, but operating nearby. This arrival brings thousands of US troops back to the region since the last carrier left in October, when the USS Gerald R Ford was sent to the Caribbean. Central Command said the deployment aims “to promote regional security and stability.” Defence officials said the carrier group boosts US offensive and defensive strength significantly. President Donald Trump said last week the ships were sent “just in case.” He added, “We have a massive fleet heading in that direction, and maybe we won’t have to use it,” keeping military options open. The move follows weeks of violent protests in Iran, with thousands killed and tens of thousands detained. Trump had warned of military action if Iran executed prisoners or killed peaceful protesters but later claimed hangings of 800 detainees were stopped—a claim Iran’s top prosecutor called “completely false.” Trump still warned that US action would make last year’s Iranian nuclear site strikes “look like peanuts” if executions went ahead. Along with the carrier, the US has increased fighter jet air presence, deploying F-15E Strike Eagles from bases in the Middle East. Flight data shows many US military cargo planes heading to the area. The USS Abraham Lincoln carries F-35C and F/A-18 jets plus EA-18G Growlers to jam enemy radar. The accompanying destroyers can launch Tomahawk cruise missiles. US defence officials also said Patriot and THAAD air defence systems are moving into the region to protect US forces and allies against possible Iranian attacks. This military buildup echoes last year’s US moves before Iran fired missiles at a US airbase in Qatar in retaliation for strikes on Iranian nuclear sites.