A U.S. carrier strike group is moving from the South China Sea to the Middle East amid sharply rising tensions with Iran, multiple sources reported on Wednesday. Tehran has warned it would retaliate against U.S. military facilities across the region if Washington launches an attack.
"The U.S. is moving a carrier strike group from the South China Sea to the CENTCOM area of responsibility," Kellie Meyer, a NewsNation reporter, posted on X.
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said the country is on its highest level of combat readiness. Majid Mousavi, commander of the IRGC Aerospace Force, said Iran's stockpile of missiles has increased since a 12-day war with Israel last year.
Iranian officials said they are closely monitoring U.S. military deployments at regional bases, while accusing Washington of deliberately fueling tensions in Iran.
As the situation deteriorates, several European countries – including the UK, Poland, Italy and Spain – have urged their citizens to leave Iran. The United States and France had issued similar advisories earlier.
Some countries have also begun withdrawing personnel from military bases in the Middle East.
A U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Washington was pulling some personnel from key regional bases as a precaution. "All the signals are that a U.S. attack is imminent, but that is also how this administration behaves to keep everyone on their toes. Unpredictability is part of the strategy," a Western military official told Reuters on Wednesday.
Qatar said drawdowns at Al Udeid Air Base, the largest U.S. base in the Middle East, were underway in response to regional tensions. The UK is also withdrawing some personnel from an air base in Qatar ahead of potential U.S. strikes, Sky News reported.
At the White House, President Donald Trump signaled a wait-and-see approach, saying the United States would "watch what the process is," while not ruling out military action. He added that his administration had received a "very good statement" from Iran.
Two European officials said U.S. military intervention could come within the next 24 hours. An Israeli official also said it appeared Trump had decided to intervene, though the timing and scope remained unclear.
Trump has repeatedly threatened to intervene amid unrest in Iran, which began about two weeks ago over severe economic conditions and has escalated in recent days.
Iran's Armed Forces Chief of Staff Abdolrahim Mousavi said the country has "never faced this volume of destruction," blaming foreign enemies. Iranian authorities have accused the United States and Israel of fomenting the unrest, which they describe as acts carried out by armed terrorists.
In an interview with CBS News on Tuesday, Trump vowed "very strong action" if Iran executes protesters, urging Iranians to continue protesting and "take over institutions," saying that "help is on the way."
Reuters cited a senior Iranian official stating that Tehran has informed U.S. allies in the region, from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates to Turkey, that U.S. bases on their territory would be targeted if Washington attacks Iran.
The official added that direct contacts between Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff have been suspended.
The United States maintains extensive military forces across the Middle East, including the forward headquarters of U.S. Central Command at Al Udeid in Qatar and the headquarters of the U.S. Navy's Fifth Fleet in Bahrain.
