The aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln is on its way to the Middle East while additional air defenses are flowing into the region as well.

Two of the squadron's officers were awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for helping thwart the Iranian drone attack in April 2024.

The Pentagon is preparing to send additional U.S. forces and assets to the Middle East, a U.S. official told NBC News on Wednesday.

Iran’s foreign minister warned the U.S. of a forceful response to any attack as military assets move closer to the Middle East.

The assets would give Trump more options in the showdown over protests.

Lebanon is taking a bolder stance toward Iran to assert state sovereignty and rebalance bilateral ties, adopting unprecedented positions and measures.

The US has deployed a record military force around Iran, with troop and asset levels in the Middle East now exceeding those of past Gulf wars combined, signalling long-term readiness and rising regional stakes.

The protests in Iran could have a sweeping effect in a region already jolted by historic changes over the past year. Four CFR fellows assess how Israel, the Gulf States, Lebanon, and Turkey view the