US Ships In Mediterranean Ready To Act

Nadene Goldfoot                                             

As of late January 2026, the USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72) carrier strike group has entered the Middle East, operating within reach of Iran to address escalating tensions. Concurrently, the USS Roosevelt (DDG-80) is deployed in the region, and other U.S. naval assets, including additional carriers, have been reported in the Mediterranean and broader area. 

President Donald Trump said that the US has a "big armada"near Iran, so Tehran's leadership now want to make a deal.

• "Iranian authorities continue to warn of serious ramifications in case of US military strikes,"  They are continuing to arrest citizens of Iran participating in the protests.  At the same time, they have created an internet blackout so that these young people cannot communicate with each other.  They can't watch TV, either.  

• "Reports indicate a significant, multi-carrier, and destroyer presence, including the USS McFaul and USS Mitscher, in the region, say Stars and Stripes and Ynetnews.
• Regional Presence: Alongside carrier groups, the U.S. maintains a persistent presence of destroyers (such as the USS Forrest Sherman and USS Truxtun) in the Red Sea and Mediterranean for missile defense and deterrence.
• Context: These movements are part of a surge in military assets to the Middle East, with roughly 30,000 troops and numerous warships stationed in the region to counter threats, including those from Iran. 
This deployment is highly fluid, with ships frequently moving between the Mediterranean, Red Sea, and Persian Gulf. 

• Yemen Rebels Threaten Attack as US Aircraft Carrier Heads Toward Iran | Associated Press 

  Yemen’s Iranian-backed Houthi rebels threatened new attacks on ships traveling through the Red Sea corridor, likely trying to back Iran as it worried Monday about an approaching U.S. aircraft carrier after President Donald Trump threatened military action over its crackdown on nationwide protests. 

• Context: This buildup is a response to intense, direct warnings from the Trump administration to the Iranian regime." 

Iran Protest Death Toll Could Top 30,000, According to Local Health Officials | Time 

As many as 30,000 people could have been killed in the streets of Iran on Jan. 8 and 9 alone, two senior officials of the country’s Ministry of Health told TIME—indicating a dramatic surge in the death toll. So many people were slaughtered by Iranian security services on that Thursday and Friday, it overwhelmed the state’s capacity to dispose of the dead. Stocks of body bags were exhausted, the officials said, and eighteen-wheel semi-trailers replaced ambulances.                           

As of late January 2026, Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, is reportedly in hiding, having moved to a heavily fortified underground bunker in Tehran. He relocated to this secure facility in the Lavizan area of northeastern Tehran following fears of U.S. and Israeli airstrikes amid intense protests and regional conflict. Location: He is believed to be in a secure site linked by tunnels, possibly in the Lavizan area or another, undisclosed fortified bunker in Tehran. He is reportedly still in control but operating from a hidden location, managing the regime with close family members, including his son, Mojtaba

.  

Contingency Plans: Reports suggest a "Plan B" exists, with potential plans to flee to Moscow if necessary. 

As of January 2026, there is no deal between Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and Donald Trump. Instead, tensions have escalated, with Trump urging negotiations to prevent the total destruction of Iran's nuclear capabilities while Khamenei has rejected these offers, calling them arrogant pressure. The situation remains hostile, with Iran warning against U.S. actions against its leadership. 

• Failed Negotiations: Trump sent a letter in early 2025 seeking negotiations, which was rejected by the Ayatollah.
• Heightened Rhetoric: Khamenei has accused Trump of having "stained" hands and of inciting protests.
• Military Tension: Trump has stated he knows the location of the Iranian leader and has urged a "deal" to avoid further escalation, following Iranian retaliation against Israel.
• Fatwa: Reports indicated an Iranian grand ayatollah issued a fatwa against Trump in June 2025. 

 

Resource:

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/liveblog/2026/1/27/live-us-iran-ratchet-up-rhetoric-as-big-armada-forms-in-the-middle-east

https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2026/01/26/aircraft-carrier-iran-trump-navy/

https://www.unitedagainstnucleariran.com/news/iran-protest-death-toll-could-top-30000-according-to-local-health-officials