Massive fleet heading towards Iran, warns Trump

United States President Donald Trump on Friday (January 23) warned Iran that it was being watched closely by Washington as a “massive fleet” of military vessels moves toward the Gulf region amid ongoing diplomatic and security tensions.

Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One during his return from the World Economic Forum in Davos, Trump described the deployment as a precautionary measure. “We have a massive fleet heading in that direction and maybe we won’t have to use it, we’ll see,” he said, repeating that the flotilla was being sent “just in case.”

Trump's stern warning

Trump also issued a stern warning over Tehran’s potential actions. “If you hang those people, you’re going to be hit harder than you’ve ever been hit,” he told mediapersons, referencing Iran’s nuclear infrastructure.

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According to US media reports, the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier strike group and accompanying vessels were ordered to divert from exercises in the South China Sea and are now en route to West Asia. While Pentagon officials have not formally confirmed the destination, ship-tracking data show the carrier group transiting toward the Indian Ocean — positioning it for arrival in the wider Gulf region in the coming days.

The comments come against the backdrop of continued unrest in Iran, where large-scale anti-government protests have drawn international scrutiny. Human rights groups have reported thousands of arrests and deaths during the demonstrations — figures that remain difficult to independently verify.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi responded, saying Tehran would “fire back with everything we have” if it came under renewed attack, and warned that any confrontation would have wide-ranging regional consequences.