The United States is conducting a substantial military buildup across the Middle East, positioning forces for potential action against Iran as President Donald Trump considers strike options, according to media reports and open-source intelligence analysts tracking equipment movements on January 21.

The biggest deployment centres on two aircraft carrier strike groups, according to US military media, while several flight-tracking websites note that several aircraft are also heading toward the Persian Gulf as tensions rise between Tehran and Washington. 

The USS Abraham Lincoln, accompanied by destroyers, F-35 fighters, and supporting combat aircraft, has passed through the Malacca Strait and is currently in the Andaman Sea, heading toward the Persian Gulf, having disabled its tracking transponder after exiting major shipping lanes.

The USS George H.W. Bush has departed Norfolk, with experts suggesting a potential Middle East deployment, though its arrival would require several weeks.

Earlier, bne IntelliNews reported that Trump has continued to demand "decisive" scenarios from advisers, despite refusing an immediate strike last week. 

The deployment allegedly includes substantial air defence reinforcements responding to Israeli concerns about Iranian retaliation.

The US is reportedly preparing to deploy additional Patriot and THAAD batteries, whilst American destroyers with precision strike and air defence capabilities, alongside mine countermeasure vessels, are already operating in the Persian Gulf in case Tehran attempts to close the Strait of Hormuz.

Washington maintains an extensive regional base network supporting the buildup, including Al-Udeid in Qatar, which hosts US Central Command and the Fifth Fleet headquarters, Al-Dhafra air base in the UAE, which hosts advanced fighters, and facilities across Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and Turkey.

The United States Air Force conducted multiple transport flights into Jordan on January 21, with three C-17 aircraft arriving at Muwaffaq Salti Air Base as Washington reinforces its military presence in the Middle East, according to open-source flight tracking data.

Two C-17 Globemaster III aircraft from RAF Lakenheath in the United Kingdom arrived in Jordan, whilst a third aircraft originating from Dover Air Force Base travelled via Bangor Air National Guard Base and Ramstein Air Base in Germany before reaching Salti, according to data compiled by military aviation monitoring accounts.

A single C-17 arrived at RAF Lakenheath from Ramstein and has since filed for departure to Jordan, with one additional C-17 remaining on the ground at the British base.

Since January 16, the US Air Force has conducted 30 C-17 transport flights and 12 KC-135 tanker flights to the region, according to publicly available flight tracking data from FlightRadar24, ADS-B and ACARS sources.

 

Iran readying its forces

Iran has warned that American bases in regional countries would become legitimate targets for retaliatory action following any US strike, significantly raising escalation risks.

Multiple Iranian military vessels have been tracked near UAE and Omani territorial waters in the Persian Gulf as the United States moves the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group towards the region amid escalating tensions with Tehran, according to maritime tracking data from Kpler on January 21.

Two Iranian-flagged vessels, designated ESLAMI 2 29 and ABOBAKR 53, were positioned in the Persian Gulf near the UAE coast. The ABOBAKR 53 was tracked between Kooh Mobarak in Iran and Khor Fakkan anchorage in the UAE, with its last recorded position showing movement at 0.6 knots. Both vessels were classified as "unspecified" by maritime tracking services, indicating their specific military roles could not be immediately determined.

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy has conducted large-scale military exercises in the Persian Gulf in recent weeks, with Rear Admiral Alireza Tangsiri stating that the drills demonstrate Tehran's "ability to establish security in the region".

The IRGC-N has tested high-speed boats capable of launching missiles and demonstrated anti-ship missile capabilities during the exercises, a long-term concern for the US Navy.

Several other small boats included “MA SHA ALLAH 1 86” among a cluster of other unidentified vessels, according to the online shipping information website close to the oil installation island of Sirri.

The IRGC-N carried out a coordinated cruise and ballistic missile strike during its "Eghtedar" naval exercise on December 5, 2025, firing from inland positions toward targets in the Sea of Oman. The drill was presented by Iranian officials as a direct warning to Israel and US-aligned Gulf states, ahead of the recent protests which swept the country.

Iran also has a significant arsenal of weapons pointed south at countries, which it has repeatedly told those nations it would be forced to use if the US were to attack the country. 

On January 21, Trump announced that he issued "very firm instructions" for Iran to be destroyed if the country carries out threats to assassinate him.

The military build-up comes as Iranian authorities belatedly admit that, following the recent protests, which kicked off on December 28 by bazaaris (merchants) in central Tehran, 3,117 people had died, according to Fars News Agency late on January 21.