Pentagon officials say the easing of military muscles is designed to warn Tehran not to attack American interests or personnel in the days surrounding the January 3 anniversary of the Trump administration’s assassination of the powerful Iranian leader, General Qasem Soleimani. .
At the same time, acting Defense Secretary Christopher Miller decided on Wednesday against an impulse to extend the deployment of the USS Nimitz aircraft carrier to the Persian Gulf, sending it out of the region in an explicit signal of climbing to Iran, according to an official senior defense.
The conflicting messages may reflect divisions within the Pentagon, where a second defense official told CNN that Iran’s current threat level is the most worrying they have seen since Soleimani’s death. Authorities cite new information that Iran and allied militias in Iraq may be planning attacks against US forces in the Middle East. For example, Iran has moved short-range ballistic missiles to Iraq, which has prompted the United States to deploy additional military resources in the region.
Still others at the Pentagon say the threat is being exaggerated, with the first senior defense officer – who is directly involved in the discussions – telling CNN that “there is not a single piece of information corroborating” suggesting that an attack from Iran may be imminent. .
President Donald Trump fueled some of the uncertainty, allegedly asking at a mid-November meeting for military options he could use against Iran. He then threatened Iran after a December 21 attack on the United States Embassy in Baghdad, which senior American officials, including Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, have assigned Iraqi militias affiliated with Tehran.
“Our embassy in Baghdad was hit on Sunday by several rockets,” Trump tweeted aboard Air Force One after a meeting at the White House on December 23 about Iranian threats. “Three rockets were not launched. Guess where they were from: IRAN.”
Trump then offered “some friendly health advice to Iran: if an American is killed, I will hold Iran accountable. Think about it.”
A defense official told CNN that the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Mark Milley “is paying close attention to the situation. The military does not believe that an attack is imminent, but is taking every precaution to prevent Iran while protect US forces. “
The B-52 flight was the second time this month that the Pentagon has sent nuclear-powered bombers to the region. This follows the rare announcement by the Navy on December 21 that it had sent a nuclear-powered submarine across the Persian Gulf, accompanied by guided missile cruisers.
The U.S. Central Command, which oversees military operations in the Middle East, said in a statement that the B-52’s flight on Wednesday was made “to underscore the US military’s commitment to regional security and demonstrate a unique capability. to quickly deploy overwhelming combat power in the short term. ”
Before Miller called back the USS Nimitz, which was supposed to leave the Gulf, CENTCOM commander General Kenneth McKenzie pushed to extend the warship’s position there, in what may have been the longest aircraft carrier placement in many years ago, the first defense officer told CNN.
This official expressed concern that some members of the government are describing the situation with Iran as more dire than it really is, and are concerned about the potential for retaliatory attacks by Iran to mark the anniversary of Soleimani’s murder.
After Soleimani was killed in Iraq by an American drone attack in January, Iran responded with a major missile attack on U.S. military bases in the region.
Now, intelligence gathered by the United States is indicating a “possibly imminent attack” by Iranian-backed militias against US forces in Iraq, although it is uncertain, a defense official told CNN.
However, the concern is significant enough that additional protective measures for American troops have been taken, this official and a second defense official told CNN. Both refused to specify the measures being taken.
Three US defense officials told CNN that Iran is moving additional weapons into Iraq, including short-range ballistic missiles, an arsenal that officials believe could be used to attack American targets.
The second military official said the United States has intelligence indicating that militia groups have been meeting with elements of Iran’s Quds Force, an expeditionary military force that Soleimani previously led, adding later that the US had evidence of militias planning complex attacks in Iraq. it would require Iranian assistance to succeed.
“There have been a number of worrying indications of advanced planning and preparation for attacks in Iraq that appear to be targeting the US military and US interests,” said a US defense official.
The authorities emphasize that there are no plans or preparations for any offensive action aimed at Iran and that efforts to reinforce US troops in the region are aimed at curbing attacks, not conducting a preemptive strike.