US President Donald Trump said he has not ruled out military action against Iran as protests against Tehran’s regime enter a fourth week and reports of violent crackdowns continue, reports Howard Altman of The War Zone. While Trump claimed Iran paused mass executions after US warnings, he said future actions remain uncertain. Meanwhile, the US is reinforcing its military presence in the Middle East, with the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group moving toward the region, additional fighter jets and refueling aircraft deploying, and air defense systems being sent amid escalating rhetoric from Iran and heightened preparations by Israel. Altman writes:
U.S. President Donald Trump continues to weigh a military response to Tehran’s harsh crackdown on anti-regime protesters raging on for a fourth week. During a White House press conference on Tuesday, the U.S. leader refused to rule out a kinetic response against Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and his government. Whatever path Trump chooses, the U.S. military buildup in the Middle East for a possible attack is continuing. The USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group (CSG) continues to make its way west toward the region as additional tactical combat aircraft, cargo jets and aerial refuelers fly east.
“Is the military option off the table? No,” Trump proclaimed in response to a question about his plans toward Iran. […]
The current situation in Iran is difficult to determine due to an ongoing government blackout of internet and telephone service. […]
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