An aircraft carrier sent to the Middle East after indications that Iran is considering an attack on US forces

The United States is deploying an aircraft carrier strike group and bomber force in the Middle East in a very short time in response to "clear indications" that Iran and the Iranians are considering an attack on US forces in the region, said a US official.

Late in the night from Sunday to Friday, the White House announced in a surprise manner that the USS Abraham Lincoln and a task force on the bombers were deployed in response to "disturbing and critical warnings and cautions".

National Security Advisor John Bolton said in a statement that the deployments were intended "to send a clear and unequivocal message to the Iranian regime that any attack on the interests of the United States or our allies will be fought with relentless force. "

"The United States does not seek war with the Iranian regime, but we are fully prepared to respond to any attack, whether by proxy, by the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, or by the armed forces. Iran, "the statement said.

A US official told ABC News that the deployments responded to "clear indications", Iranian and Iranian alternative forces preparing for a possible attack and that the decision to send forces was taken Sunday.

"The movement of the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln in the region has been accelerated, and the order has been given to come into effect immediately," said the official.

The carrier is currently in the Mediterranean after leaving Norfolk, Virginia on April 1 st. The Navy no longer provides destinations for its carrier deployments, but the carrier would likely have had to transit through the Middle East to its new home port of San Diego at the end of its deployment.

USS aircraft carrier John Stennis has operated twice in the Persian Gulf during his recent deployment, three weeks earlier this year and one week earlier in April.

"It's something we've been working on for a while," US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told reporters during his trip to Europe. "It is quite true that we have seen escalating actions by Iranians, and we must also hold Iranians accountable for attacks against US interests."

Pompeo did not give details of Iran's potential actions, but said that Iran "should understand how we will react to the actions it could take" and that for any action of third parties or related agents ", we will ask the Iranian leaders to be accountable for their actions."