US to move aircraft carrier out of Mideast amid Iran tension

  Pentagon has decided to send home only Navy aircraft carrier operating in Middle East, a move that would reduce US firepower in region amid heightened tensions with Iran, officials said on Thursday.

decision, confirmed by three defense officials but t yet publicly anunced, emerged one day after Air Force B-52 bombers flew nstop from United States to Persian Gulf in a show of force that military officials said was intended to caution Iran against carrying out attacks against US forces or interests.

officials were t authorised to publicly discuss decision and spoke on condition of anymity.Sending aircraft carrier, USS Nimitz, home to US West Coast would seem at odds with idea that a show of force is needed to deter Iran. This might reflect a split within defence establishment on wher Iran poses a heightened threat to strike in waning days of Trump ministration.Earlier this week, an American military officer close to situation told reporters that US h detected signs that Iran h me preparations for possible attacks on US or allied targets in Iraq or elsewhere in Mideast.

This was reason for dispatching two B-52 bombers from US to briefly overfly Gulf on Wednesday, said officer, who spoke on condition of anymity to discuss internal assessments.President Donald Trump recently cited “chatter” that Iran might strike. Days after a December 20 rocket attack on US Embassy compound in Baghd by Iranian-supported Shiite militia groups, Trump tweeted that Iran was on tice.

“Some friendly health vice to Iran: If one American is killed, I will hold Iran responsible. Think it over,” Trump wrote on December 23.

He ded, We hear chatter of ditional attacks against Americans in Iraq.

 US concerns have been tied to approach of January 3 anniversary of American airstrike that killed Iran's top commander, Gen. Qassem Soleimani. Iran initially retaliated with a ballistic missile strike on a military base in neighbouring Iraq that caused dozens of brain concussion injuries but deaths among US troops. But US officials are concerned that Iran might be planning furr retaliation.

Because of potential for escalation that could le to a wider war, US has sought to deter Iran from ditional attacks. Strategic calculations on both sides are furr complicated by political transition in Washington to a Biden ministration that may seek new paths to dealing with Iran.

President-elect Joe Biden has said, for example, that he hopes to return US to a 2015 agreement with world powers in which Iran agreed to limit its nuclear activities in exchange for lifting of international sanctions.

US has maintained a near-continuous aircraft carrier presence in Persian Gulf region since USS Abraham Lincoln was sent in May 2019 amid concerns that Iran was considering attacking US interests in region.

US also sent ditional land-based attack planes and reestablished a troop presence in Saudi Arabia.

Nimitz deployed from US in April and was due to return before end of year. In early December, its planned return was postponed, in part out of concerns about potential Iranian threats, and more recently it was ordered to provide support off coast of Somalia for movement of American forces out of country. 

(IM CREDITS:AP)