{"id":322069,"date":"2026-01-24T05:54:28","date_gmt":"2026-01-24T05:54:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thetruthseeker.co.uk\/?p=322069"},"modified":"2026-01-25T10:02:03","modified_gmt":"2026-01-25T10:02:03","slug":"military-buildup-in-the-middle-east-continues-including-what-trump-describes-as-a-big-flotilla-updated","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thetruthseeker.co.uk\/?p=322069","title":{"rendered":"Military Buildup In The Middle East Continues, Including What Trump Describes As A \u201cBig Flotilla\u201d (Updated)"},"content":{"rendered":"<h1 style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>Howard Altman \u2013 The War Zone Jan 23, 2026<\/strong><\/h1>\n<p>The U.S. is <a href=\"https:\/\/www.twz.com\/news-features\/u-s-military-buildup-in-the-middle-east-grinds-on\">continuing to build up its military presence<\/a> in the Middle East <a href=\"https:\/\/www.twz.com\/news-features\/signs-emerge-of-u-s-navy-air-force-push-to-middle-east\">ahead of a possible attack on Iran<\/a>. The USS <em>Abraham Lincoln<\/em> and its Carrier Strike Group (CSG) is now in the Indian Ocean, a U.S. Navy official told <em>The War Zone <\/em>on Thursday. The CSG was in the South China Sea until U.S. President Donald Trump ordered it moved west. In addition, more cargo jets and aerial refueling tankers have arrived in the region. Trump on Thursday said a large naval presence is heading to the region.<\/p>\n<p>These movements come as Trump <a href=\"https:\/\/www.twz.com\/news-features\/signs-emerge-of-u-s-navy-air-force-push-to-middle-east\">has threatened to strike Iran<\/a> over its <a href=\"https:\/\/www.twz.com\/news-features\/days-of-rage-nights-of-flames-across-iran\">brutal treatment of anti-government protesters<\/a>, which has resulted in thousands of deaths.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe have a big flotilla going in that direction, and we\u2019ll see what happens,\u201d Trump told reporters Thursday afternoon. \u201cWe have a big force going toward Iran. I\u2019d rather not see anything happen, but we\u2019re watching them very closely.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe have an armada,\u201d Trump added after claiming he \u201cstopped 837 hangings on Thursday\u2026We have a massive fleet heading in that direction, and maybe we won\u2019t have to use it. We\u2019ll see.\u201d<\/p>\n<div align=\"center\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">Trump on Iran:<\/p>\n<p>We have a big flotilla going in that direction, and we\u2019ll see what happens. We have a big force going toward Iran. I\u2019d rather not see anything happen.<\/p>\n<p>But we are watching them very closely. <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/pyBJpILnYH\">pic.twitter.com\/pyBJpILnYH<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Clash Report (@clashreport) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/clashreport\/status\/2014460370866331814?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">January 22, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Aside from threatening to strike Iran, Trump on Jan. 13 also promised those taking to the streets that <a href=\"https:\/\/www.twz.com\/news-features\/trump-tells-protesters-help-is-on-its-way-cuts-off-negotiations-with-regime\">help was on its way.<\/a><\/p>\n<div align=\"center\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"zxx\"><a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/dLuCtZaP0o\">pic.twitter.com\/dLuCtZaP0o<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/RapidResponse47\/status\/2011086867089838503?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">January 13, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>However, he relented after <a href=\"https:\/\/www.twz.com\/news-features\/signs-emerge-of-u-s-navy-air-force-push-to-middle-east\">being told the killings would stop<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/2026\/01\/15\/politics\/strikes-iran-trump-military\">reportedly called off<\/a> a strike against Iran last week. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wsj.com\/world\/middle-east\/trump-iran-decision-what-happened-0b645daa?gaa_at=eafs&amp;gaa_n=AWEtsqdtw91Yy8Rex07r-2L43VVOZvLgiso6QQ7Q76ZVfbwuUY7x8-LEGrb4zRvTdoE%3D&amp;gaa_ts=6972c2ed&amp;gaa_sig=xfVMIE9chUlehgr-jiVJiarCpu7-DAPIN6tNXp-65QPx7t22lf%20\">According to some accounts<\/a>, Trump does not want to become involved in a protracted battle with Iran <a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/politics\/inside-trumps-iran-warning-unexpected-pause-followed\">while still contemplating regime change<\/a>. There are lingering concerns in Washington and Jerusalem about not having enough assets in the region to defend against an expected Iranian response, which in part led <a href=\"https:\/\/www.jpost.com\/middle-east\/article-883758\">Israel to urge Trump to hold off any attack<\/a>. This was also our analysis at the time.<\/p>\n<div align=\"center\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">Underlying theme: the admin is seriously thinking about regime change in Iran.<\/p>\n<p>Issue they&#8217;re running into is how to make it happen without a protracted campaign. <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/oEqVUq0aUd\">https:\/\/t.co\/oEqVUq0aUd<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Gregory Brew (@gbrew24) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/gbrew24\/status\/2014457135225081928?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">January 22, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>The influx of additional assets to the region will give Trump a greater range of potential action, and allow for the ability to defend against an Iranian attack, whether in response to U.S. military actions or not.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIf Iranian leadership perceives that regime collapse is imminent, the expectation within this assessment is that Iran would escalate aggressively across multiple vectors,\u201d <a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.timesofisrael.com\/why-israel-may-move-first-in-the-iran-u-s-crisis\/\">the <em>Times of Israel <\/em>recently suggested <\/a>in an opinion piece. \u201cThis would include attacks on American assets throughout the region, coordinated pressure against allies such as Israel, and actions designed to disrupt global energy flows. In particular, the Strait of Hormuz represents one of Iran\u2019s most consequential pressure points. Energy agencies estimate that roughly 20 million barrels per day\u2014about one-fifth of global petroleum liquids consumption\u2014transit the strait.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>All this depends on the state of Iran\u2019s command and control at the time of such an operation, as well as many other factors. While the specter of major retaliations in the Strait of Hormuz have persisted for years, it did not come to fruition during the war with Israel in June. Still, operations that seek regime change could change this calculus.<\/p>\n<p>As for U.S. force posture in the region, there remains a large number of unknowns, including the exact composition of U.S. forces that are already there and what role, if any, will be played by Israel and other U.S. allies if Trump moves forward with an attack. We do know that the U.S. already had a limited number of fighter aircraft at several bases throughout the Middle East, as well as three <em>Arleigh Burke<\/em> class guided missile destroyers and perhaps a submarine plying its waters, among other capabilities, prior to the protests.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-222724\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thetruthseeker.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/USS-Theodore-Roosevelt.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"820\" height=\"461\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.thetruthseeker.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/USS-Theodore-Roosevelt.jpg 820w, https:\/\/www.thetruthseeker.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/USS-Theodore-Roosevelt-480x270.jpg 480w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) 820px, 100vw\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Many additional assets have poured in since then, but it remains unclear at the moment whether the current force can support in terms of a sustained conflict and what will be added in the coming days or even weeks leading up to an operation. At the same time, an operation could begin any time, so the current picture is quite murky. Even a limited decapitation operation aimed at the regime would require a huge number of contingencies.<\/p>\n<p>The <em>Lincoln<\/em> CSG, which appears to be several days away from arriving in the Arabian Sea, would boost U.S. striking power in the region. Its <a href=\"https:\/\/www.airpac.navy.mil\/Organization\/Carrier-Air-Wing-CVW-9\/\">embarked CVW-9 Carrier Air Wing<\/a> consists of eight squadrons flying F-35C Lightning II, F\/A-18E\/F Super Hornets, EA-18G Growlers, E-2D Hawkeyes, CMV-22B Ospreys and MH-60R\/S Sea Hawks. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.airpac.navy.mil\/Organization\/Carrier-Strike-Group-3\/\">Its escorts,<\/a> <em>Ticonderoga<\/em> class guided-missile cruiser USS <em>Mobile Bay<\/em> and the <em>Arleigh Burke<\/em> class guided-missile destroyers of Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 21 bring a large number of missile tubes that could be used to strike Iran. These vessels could also be used in the defense of U.S. targets and those of its allies during a reprisal.<\/p>\n<p>So far, there does not appear to have been a major influx of U.S. airpower. Low-resolution satellite imagery observed by <em>The War Zone<\/em> shows no large deployments to Diego Garcia, the Indian Ocean island where <a href=\"https:\/\/www.twz.com\/air\/b-52s-join-b-2s-on-diego-garcia10-bombers-now-on-indian-ocean-island\">U.S. bombers have previously been staged<\/a> amid rising tensions with Iran. However, online flight trackers are reporting that there have been flights of C-17 Globemaster III cargo jets to the region. These would be needed to move materiel and personnel. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.twz.com\/news-features\/signs-emerge-of-u-s-navy-air-force-push-to-middle-east\">As we projected<\/a>, the U.S. is sending additional <a href=\"https:\/\/www.twz.com\/category\/mim-104-patriot\">Patriot<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.twz.com\/category\/terminal-high-altitude-area-defense\">Terminal High Altitude Area Defense<\/a> (THAAD) systems to the Middle East for increased protection from any Iranian attack, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wsj.com\/world\/middle-east\/trump-iran-military-options-b49429c4\"><em>The Wall Street Journal <\/em>reported<\/a>.<\/p>\n<div align=\"center\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">UPDATE: 20260122-1630Z<\/p>\n<p>Due to people stealing the tables without credit, I&#8217;ve had to resort to watermarking. Once the 2 incoming tankers arrive at Al-Udeid, the fleet there will now be at least 20 KC-135s!!<\/p>\n<p>cc: <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/ArmchairAdml?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@ArmchairAdml<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/vcdgf555?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@vcdgf555<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/TheIntelFrog?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@TheIntelFrog<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/BrianE6B?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@BrianE6B<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/steffanwatkins?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@steffanwatkins<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/mskTvTegR6\">pic.twitter.com\/mskTvTegR6<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 DefenceGeek \uf1ec\uf1e7 (@DefenceGeek) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/DefenceGeek\/status\/2014375792914977003?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">January 22, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.twz.com\/news-features\/signs-emerge-of-u-s-navy-air-force-push-to-middle-east\">As we previously mentioned<\/a>, online flight trackers also noted that F-15E Strike Eagles, accompanied by KC-135 Stratotanker aerial refueling jets, headed east from RAF Lakenheath in England to the Middle East earlier this week.<\/p>\n<p>The presence of Strike Eagles in the region, especially those coming from RAF Lakenheath, is in itself not new. These jets have maintained a steady presence at Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan for nearly a decade, and their recent arrival in the Middle East was largely expected due to the current instability and saber-rattling. F-15Es <a href=\"https:\/\/www.twz.com\/air\/f-15e-pilot-recounts-having-to-switch-to-guns-after-missiles-ran-dry-during-iranian-drone-barrage\">played a key role <\/a>in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.twz.com\/air\/f-15e-tried-to-shoot-down-iranian-drone-with-a-laser-guided-bomb-during-frantic-barrage-on-israel\">defending against multiple Iranian drone<\/a> and cruise missile barrages on Israel and they are now <a href=\"https:\/\/www.twz.com\/air\/f-15e-armed-with-drone-killing-laser-guided-rockets-appears-in-middle-east\">more capable of that mission than ever<\/a>. Beyond its offensive capabilities, if Iran were to launch a major attack on Israel and\/or U.S. assets in the region, preemptive or in retaliation, the F-15Es would play a key part in defending against those attacks.<\/p>\n<p>While these are significant additions to the standing force posture in the region, more fighter aircraft would be expected for a major operation against Iran. We have not seen evidence of those kinds of movements just yet, although some movements are not identified via open sources.<\/p>\n<p>Beyond tactical combat aircraft in the region, the U.S. can fly bombers there from the continental United States, as was the case when B-2 Spirits attacked Iran\u2019s nuclear facilities <a href=\"https:\/\/www.twz.com\/air\/b-2-strikes-on-iran-what-we-know-about-operation-midnight-hammer\">during Operation Midnight Hammer<\/a> last June.<\/p>\n<p>The U.K. is also sending tactical combat jets to the region.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe Royal Air Force\u2019s joint Typhoon squadron with Qatar, 12 Squadron, has deployed to the Gulf for defensive purposes, noting regional tensions as part of the UK-Qatar Defence Assurance Agreement, demonstrating the strong and enduring defence relationship between the U.K. and Qatar,\u201d the U.K. Defense Ministry (MoD) announced on Thursday.<\/p>\n<p>\u201c12 Squadron has regularly deployed to Qatar to conduct joint training and share experiences which enhance national and regional security,\u201d MoD added. \u201cRecently, the RAF deployed on exercises such as EPIC SKIES and SOARING FALCON \u2013 further reinforcing the operational capability between our two nations.\u201d<\/p>\n<div align=\"center\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">RAF Typhoon jets have deployed to Qatar in a defensive capacity.<\/p>\n<p>The UK and Qatar have been close defence partners for decades. This deployment builds on that relationship, supporting regional stability and keeping us secure at home and strong abroad. <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/83FkaBPJng\">pic.twitter.com\/83FkaBPJng<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Ministry of Defence \uf1ec\uf1e7 (@DefenceHQ) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/DefenceHQ\/status\/2014459690638344339?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">January 22, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Israel too remains at a high state of alert for an attack on or from its arch-enemy.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt is my assessment that a strike will take place,\u201d a high-ranking Israeli Defense Force (IDF) official told <em>The War Zone<\/em>. \u201cThe key variables \u2013 timing, method of execution, and the identity of participating forces, whether U.S. assets, the IDF, or additional coalition elements should they be involved, will be subject to strict and aggressive compartmentalization.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cLikewise, the final decision to proceed with execution rests with a single individual alone,\u201d the official added, referring to Trump.<\/p>\n<p>As the U.S. and allies flow assets into the region and Israel stands at a heightened state of readiness, Iranian officials are ratcheting up their rhetoric.<\/p>\n<p>On Thursday, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) commander General Mohammad Pakpour <a href=\"https:\/\/www.timesofisrael.com\/commander-of-irans-revolutionary-guards-warns-israel-and-us-of-finger-on-trigger\/\">warned Israel and the United States<\/a> \u201cto avoid any miscalculations, by learning from historical experiences and what they learned in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.twz.com\/news-features\/trump-claims-israel-iran-ceasefire-deal-reached\">the 12-day imposed war,<\/a> so that they do not face a more painful and regrettable fate.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and dear Iran have their finger on the trigger, more prepared than ever, ready to carry out the orders and measures of the supreme commander-in-chief \u2014 a leader dearer than their own lives,\u201d he added, referring to Iran\u2019s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.<\/p>\n<p>The IRGC also released a video showing the location of U.S. bases in the region.<\/p>\n<div align=\"center\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">Iranian Revolutionary Guard media released a video warning the United States, showing the locations of U.S. military bases across the Middle East that are within range of Iranian missiles<\/p>\n<p>\uf1fa\uf1f8\uf1ee\uf1f7\u203c\ufe0f\u203c\ufe0f\u203c\ufe0f\u203c\ufe0f\u203c\ufe0f\u203c\ufe0f\u203c\ufe0f\u203c\ufe0f\u203c\ufe0f\u203c\ufe0f\u203c\ufe0f\u203c\ufe0f\u203c\ufe0f <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/t2O2dAPWTO\">pic.twitter.com\/t2O2dAPWTO<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 WW3 Monitor (@WW3_Monitor) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/WW3_Monitor\/status\/2014403030603502079?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">January 22, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Khamenei\u2019s government is also claiming it has suppressed the nationwide unrest that began Dec. 28 over rising prices, devalued currency that saw the rial crater now to basically <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/GlobeEyeNews\/status\/2010687326901633137?s=20\">nothing<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/iran-rain-historic-drought-water-scarcity-0cb2872c70f9ab50c2fbffd4cde66117\">a devastating drought<\/a>, and <a href=\"https:\/\/iranhr.net\/en\/articles\/8520\/\">brutal government crackdowns<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe sedition is over now,\u201d said Mohammad Movahedi, Iran\u2019s prosecutor general, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2026\/01\/21\/world\/middleeast\/iran-protests-crushed.html\">according to the judiciary\u2019s <em>Mizan News<\/em> agency<\/a>. \u201cAnd we must be grateful, as always, to the people who extinguished this sedition by being in the field in a timely manner.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>However, getting verifiable information out of Iran remains incredibly challenging as the regime has cut off internet and phone service, and it is possible that at least some protests are ongoing.<\/p>\n<p>While there is no indication of any imminent fighting, the regional players are increasingly preparing for conflict. This remains a volatile situation we will continue to monitor it closely.<\/p>\n<p><em><strong>Update: 8:01 AM Eastern Jan. 23-<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p>On Friday, Iran\u2019s top prosecutor, Mohammad Movahedi, strongly denied Trump\u2019s claim that he stopped more than 800 protesters from being hanged.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis claim is completely false; no such number exists, nor has the judiciary made any such decision,\u201d Movahedi said, according to <em><a href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/iran-protests-crackdown-death-toll-acb1968a973f19be217ea28b4a7adb0b\">The Associated Press<\/a><\/em>, citing Iranian media.<\/p>\n<div align=\"center\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">Iran\u2019s top prosecutor dismissed President Trump\u2019s claim that his intervention stopped the execution of 800 protest detainees, calling it \u201ccompletely false.\u201d <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/0S5kzlYg4Q\">https:\/\/t.co\/0S5kzlYg4Q<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/0kL7tJM4d0\">pic.twitter.com\/0kL7tJM4d0<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Open Source Intel (@Osint613) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/Osint613\/status\/2014640314460381276?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">January 23, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>As internet service is returning to Iran, more accounts are emerging of the scope of the regime\u2019s crackdown.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHuman rights groups say they have gathered so many individual testimonies of people who witnessed large numbers of bodies collecting at morgues and cemeteries across the country that they expect the death toll to rise far beyond the current estimates of up to 4,500,\u201d <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2026\/01\/23\/world\/middleeast\/iran-protests-victims-bodies.html\">according to the <em>New York Times<\/em><\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>A <em>Washington Post <\/em>opinion piece highlights the challenge of creating a new government should Khamenei be ousted.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIran\u2019s ethnic geography sharpens the stakes. Persians dominate the central plateau around Tehran and Isfahan,\u201d according to the piece, by Michael Doran is director of the Center for Peace and Security in the Middle East at the Hudson Institute<em>.<\/em> \u201cMinority populations concentrate along the borders \u2014 more accurately, astride them \u2014 bound by language, culture and history to communities just across the frontier. Azerbaijanis cluster in the northwest along Azerbaijan and Turkey; Kurds in the west face Kurdish regions of Iraq and Turkey; Arabs in the oil-rich southwest look toward Iraq; Baluch in the southeast connect to kin in Pakistan and Afghanistan; Turkmen in the north border Turkmenistan.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cNeighboring states therefore have a direct interest in how Iran manages \u2014 or fails to manage \u2014 its diversity,\u201d he added. \u201cAnd one neighbor matters more than any other: Azerbaijan.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.twz.com\/news-features\/military-buildup-in-the-middle-east-continues-including-what-trump-describes-as-a-big-flotilla\">Source\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>As the USS Abraham Lincoln battle group heads toward the Middle East, more U.S. Navy ships are gathering in the eastern Mediterranean. Are they being deployed to provide Israel with air and missile cover in the event of Iranian counterstrikes? Note that this artice makes no mention of claims that foreign players have been orchestrating the recent unrest in Iran<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":39262,"featured_media":93274,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[58,51],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-322069","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-Current_Affairs","category-Iran"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thetruthseeker.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/322069","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thetruthseeker.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thetruthseeker.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thetruthseeker.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/39262"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thetruthseeker.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=322069"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.thetruthseeker.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/322069\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":322073,"href":"https:\/\/www.thetruthseeker.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/322069\/revisions\/322073"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thetruthseeker.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/93274"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thetruthseeker.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=322069"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thetruthseeker.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=322069"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thetruthseeker.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=322069"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}