At a sensitive moment, the US aircraft carrier returns to the Persian Gulf
November 27, Iran’s top nuclear scientist Muhsin Fakrizad was injured in an armed attack and then died in the hospital. CNN quoted a US defense official on the evening of the 27th local time as saying that the US has no plans to increase troops in response to this incident, but the aircraft carrier “Nimitz” will return to the Persian Gulf with other warships. The US Army provides combat support and air cover.
CNN reported that the current view of the US military is that unless Iran directly provokes the US, the US has no reason to launch an attack. The source emphasized that there must be a direct and unmistakable act of provocation before the United States will take military action.
An American official told CNN that they are paying attention to the development of the situation and emphasized that it is very sensitive. The official said that the “last thing the United States needs” right now is a conflict with Iran. The United States currently has more than 50,000 soldiers in the region, which is not enough to launch a continuous military operation against Iran.
A Pentagon official said that the United States currently has no plans to increase troops, but the USS Nimitz will return to the Persian Gulf with other warships to provide combat support and air cover for the US military, and that the United States will continue to withdraw troops from Iraq and Afghanistan.
This decision marked the rapid return of the “Nimitz” to the Persian Gulf. It had sailed towards India in early November and held naval exercises with the Indian Navy in the Arabian Sea. The Pentagon official stated that the move (the return of the Nimitz to the Persian Gulf) was decided before Fakrizad was assassinated, but it would send a message of strengthening deterrence against Tehran.
US media said that the United States is still monitoring current intelligence threats. The United States is very clear that the first anniversary of the killing of Soleimani, commander of the Quds Brigade of the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, is approaching. Iran has promised to retaliate for this attack. US Secretary of State Pompeo also talked about the danger from Iran in an interview with Fox News.
Earlier this month, CNN reported that Trump had proposed a military strike against Iran during the remainder of his term, but he was discouraged by some senior officials.
