The United States is moving a substantial naval force toward the Gulf region as tensions with Iran continue to rise, with President Donald Trump confirming that Washington is closely monitoring Tehran&rsquo;s actions. Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump said a large flotilla of US ships is heading in Iran&rsquo;s direction, stressing that the move is meant as a precaution rather than an immediate step toward conflict.
&ldquo;We&rsquo;re watching Iran very closely,&rdquo; Trump said, adding that while he would prefer to avoid any escalation, the United States is preparing for all possibilities. He described the deployment as a &ldquo;big force&rdquo; and indicated that it was being positioned &ldquo;just in case,&rdquo; signaling both deterrence and readiness.
The naval buildup follows reports that a US aircraft carrier strike group, along with additional military assets, has been redirected to the Middle East. The move comes after Trump had recently appeared to soften his tone on military action, saying he had received assurances from Iranian authorities that no further executions of protesters would take place.
Despite that earlier de-escalation, Trump has now reaffirmed that military preparations are ongoing. He also repeated his claim that previous US threats had prevented Iran from carrying out mass executions during recent unrest, and said he remains open to talks with Tehran&rsquo;s leadership.
Trump warned that any renewed effort by Iran to restart its nuclear program would trigger a US response. He referenced past American air strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities in June 2025, carried out during a brief regional conflict involving Israel, as an example of how Washington would act if it believed red lines were crossed.
Iran, meanwhile, has rejected claims that it plans to execute protesters arrested during widespread anti-government demonstrations. Those protests, which erupted in late December, resulted in thousands of deaths, according to Iranian state media.
Tehran has also issued its own warnings. Iran&rsquo;s foreign minister said that the country would respond forcefully to any new attack, describing such retaliation not as a threat but as a reality of self-defense. He cautioned that a full-scale confrontation would be long, brutal and destabilizing for the wider region, with consequences that would extend well beyond the Middle East.
With warships moving into position and rhetoric hardening on both sides, the situation remains volatile. While Washington insists it prefers diplomacy, the growing military presence underscores how quickly tensions with Iran could spiral into a broader conflict.

Trump signals readiness as warships head to Gulf, says US is closely monitoring Tehran

US Sends Major Naval Force Toward Iran

Trump signals readiness as warships head to Gulf, says US is closely monitoring Tehran

January 23, 2026 | 10:04 IST