The United States announced on Tuesday that it was conducting an aerial military exercise in the Middle East amid ongoing tensions with Iran.
The US Ninth Air Force — also known as Air Forces Central (AFCENT) — the air component in United States Central Command (CENTCOM) — will be conducting a “multi-day readiness exercise to demonstrate the ability to deploy, disperse, and sustain combat airpower across the US Central Command area of responsibility,” AFCENT said.
The drill came a day after CENTCOM announced that the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier and accompanying warships had arrived in the Middle East.
The arrival of the carrier strike group comes amid ongoing speculation as to whether US President Donald Trump will strike Iran following its bloody crackdown on anti-regime protests, in which thousands were killed. Trump has issued threats toward Tehran but also indicated openness to negotiations. Iran has threatened in turn to strike Israel and US targets in response.
The strike group’s arrival boosts the US’s available firepower and defensive capabilities in the region, giving Trump the option to launch an attack on Iran.
“The Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group is currently deployed to the Middle East to promote regional security and stability,” CENTCOM said Monday.
AFCENT said Tuesday that during the drill, US forces would “deploy teams to multiple contingency locations and validate rapid set-up, launch and recovery procedures with small, efficient support packages,” adding that it will “conduct all activities with host-nation approval and in close coordination with civil and military aviation authorities, emphasizing safety, precision and respect for sovereignty.”
No comments:
Post a Comment