WASHINGTON — The United States is building a major force of naval and air assets in the Middle East, potentially setting the stage for a sustained military campaign against Iran. President Donald Trump has repeatedly threatened Tehran with military action if ongoing talks do not reach a replacement for the nuclear deal the U.S. president tore up in 2018, during his first term in office. In addition to the ships and warplanes being deployed in the Middle East, the United States has tens of thousands of troops deployed on bases throughout the region, some of which could be vulnerable to Iranian counter-attacks. Ships Washington currently has 13 warships in the Middle East: one aircraft carrier — the USS Abraham Lincoln — nine destroyers and three littoral combat ships, with more on the way, according to a U.S. official. The USS Gerald R. Ford — the world’s largest aircraft carrier — is currently in the Atlantic Ocean en route from the Caribbean to the Middle East, after being ordered there by Trump earlier this month. It is accompanied by three destroyers. It is rare for there to b
UN nuclear chief warns ‘time is running out’ for Iran-US deal amid massive military buildup
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