USS Abraham Lincoln (AP image)

The United States has deployed the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln along with three accompanying warships to the Middle East. The move has renewed the possibility of President Donald Trump ordering military action against Iran amid its violent crackdown on protesters.The US Central Command on Monday said that the carrier strike group is currently operating in the Indian Ocean and not in the Arabian Sea, which borders Iran. The deployment brings thousands of additional American service members to a region that had been without a US aircraft carrier since the USS Gerald R Ford was sent to the Caribbean last October as part of Washington’s pressure campaign against then-Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, according to news agency AP. In a post on social media, Central Command said that the USS Abraham Lincoln and three destroyers were deployed “to promote regional security and stability.” Defence officials said the carrier group significantly enhances US offensive and defensive capabilities in the region.President Trump last week acknowledged the military buildup, telling reporters the ships were sent “just in case.” “We have a massive fleet heading in that direction, and maybe we won’t have to use it,” he said, signalling that military action remains an option.The deployment follows weeks of unrest in Iran, where protests that began in late December have been met with a severe crackdown. Human rights activists estimate that at least 5,973 people have been killed and more than 41,800 detained. Earlier, Trump had warned of military action if Iran carried out mass executions of prisoners or killed peaceful demonstrators. More recently, however, he appeared to step back, claiming Tehran had halted the hangings of 800 detained protesters. Iran’s top prosecutor had dismissed his claim as “completely false.”Despite the apparent shift in tone, Trump has continued to keep the threat of force alive. Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on Thursday, he said any US military response would make last year’s strikes on Iranian nuclear sites “look like peanuts” if the government proceeded with planned executions.Alongside the carrier deployment, the US military has increased its air presence in the region. Officials confirmed that F-15E Strike Eagle fighter jets are now operating from bases in the Middle East, while analysts tracking flight data have observed dozens of US military cargo planes heading toward the area.The USS Abraham Lincoln carries F-35C and F/A-18 fighter jets, as well as EA-18G Growler aircraft designed to jam enemy air defences. The three accompanying Navy destroyers are capable of launching Tomahawk cruise missiles. In addition, the US is moving Patriot and THAAD air defence systems into the region to protect American forces and allies from potential Iranian retaliation, according to defence officials, as reported by Washington Post. The current military activity mirrors preparations seen last year, when the US reinforced regional defences ahead of an anticipated Iranian response following strikes on its nuclear facilities. Iran later launched multiple missiles at the Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar.