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The United States is redeploying a carrier strike group from the South China Sea to the US Central Command (Centcom) area of responsibility, which includes the Middle East, as tensions escalate between the Trump administration and Iran, according to sources in the US Defence Headquarters, the Pentagon.The move comes at a time when Iran is witnessing widespread anti-government rallies driven by soaring inflation, economic hardship and mounting public anger over governance.

US-based news network News Nation, citing sources, reported that the carrier strike group is centred on an aircraft carrier and supported by multiple warships, including at least one attack submarine, and is expected to take around a week to reach the region. The USS Abraham Lincoln is reported to be the aircraft carrier heading to the Centcom area.The redeployment marks a significant shift of US military assets and reflects heightened US military readiness amid rising regional tensions. As per News Nation, Centcom’s area of responsibility spans more than 4 million square miles across Northeast Africa, the Middle East, Central Asia and South Asia, covering 21 countries, including Egypt, Iraq, Afghanistan, Iran and Pakistan.While officials have not publicly commented on the specific objectives of the redeployment, the development comes against the backdrop of growing unrest in Iran and deliberations in Washington over potential US support for protesters challenging the Islamic Republic’s ruling establishment.Earlier, CNN reported, citing sources, that some personnel stationed at the US’s largest military base in the Middle East have been advised to leave as a precautionary measure amid rising regional tensions over the possibility of US military action against Iran.According to CNN, citing a US official familiar with the matter, the directive applies to certain staff at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar and reflects heightened security concerns rather than an immediate threat.At the same time, the US Embassy in Saudi Arabia has urged its personnel to exercise increased caution, limit non-essential travel to military installations in the region and ensure personal safety plans are in place. Concerns are also growing among countries neighbouring Iran, which fear that any military strike could destabilise the region and trigger wider security and economic repercussions, prompting regional governments to engage directly with the Trump administration.On Monday, US President Donald Trump was briefed on a broad range of military and covert options that could be employed against Iran, CBS News reported, citing two US Defence Department officials. According to CBS News, the options extend beyond conventional airstrikes and include integrated military, cyber and psychological operations.Meanwhile, protests in Iran have entered their 18th day, according to the most recent verified data from the Human Rights Activist News Agency (HRANA).As per HRANA, at least 617 protest events have been recorded across 187 cities, with over 18,470 people arrested and 2,615 deaths confirmed so far amid an ongoing communications blackout.In an interesting development, Trump on Wednesday said the Iranian government appeared to have stopped killing protesters, though he did not clarify what that meant for potential US military action, adding that Washington would “watch and see” how the situation develops.