Behind the rhetoric, the Pentagon has rapidly expanded its footprint in the region. The USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group is already on station, with a second carrier, the USS Gerald Ford, en route. Dozens of additional US aircraft – including advanced F‑16, F‑22 and F‑35 fighters – have been deployed, giving Washington the capability for a sustained air campaign rather than a one‑off strike. Long‑range bombers could be launched from US soil or from bases such as Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean.
Trump weighs ‘limited’ Iran strike as insurers brace for wider fallout
