The US official familiar with the latest intelligence said. The Iranian forces have raised their levels of readiness during the past 48 hours, which the network did not name, indicating that it is not clear whether the Iranians’ movements are “defensive” because they expect a possible American attack, or are indications that the Iranians are preparing for operations in the Gulf against the United States of America.
One of the main indications for this is that a number of Iranian military ships are no longer in the port, but at sea, the official said.
And according to what CNN reported, “the official refused to give specific details about the Iranian moves due to the sensitivity of the situation, so he does not know publicly the extent of the increasing breadth of preparation, or Iranian intentions.”
The Iranian moves came with the escalation of the verbal exchange between the United States and Tehran, and the issuance of several Iranian officials threatening revenge statements for Washington’s assassination of Quds Force commander Qassem Soleimani a year ago.
The United States currently has several warships in the Persian Gulf capable of launching Tomahawk missiles, and there are 40 to 50 thousand American soldiers deployed throughout the region, but many of them are not in direct combat roles, according to “CNN”.
Acting US Defense Secretary Christopher Miller announced that Washington had decided to withdraw the USS Nimitz aircraft carrier, the only navy operating in the Middle East, to the country.
Source: CNN
