Overview
- Multiple outlets cite defense sources saying the Pentagon ordered the Abraham Lincoln strike group to leave the South China Sea and head toward the Middle East, though officials have not confirmed the move.
- Reporting indicates the transit would take roughly a week, positioning the carrier in the region by late January if the redirection is underway.
- Fleet trackers show no U.S. carrier currently assigned to the Middle East, with USS Gerald R. Ford in the Caribbean and other carriers operating in the Indo-Pacific.
- The posture change follows intensifying unrest in Iran and a temporary airspace closure around Tehran reported by FlightRadar24, with Lufthansa rerouting to avoid Iranian and Iraqi airspace.
- Reuters confirmed a 'change of posture' at some U.S. bases, including Al Udeid in Qatar, as separate reporting notes U.S. forces in CENTCOM are strained after assets were diverted to the Venezuela operation.