# 9th Air Force

US Sends Carrier Strike Group and Air-Force Drill into Middle East as Pressure on Iran Rises

CENTCOM has announced a multi-day Ninth Air Force readiness exercise in the Middle East, emphasizing rapid, dispersed deployments, while the nuclear-powered Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group has entered the region. The moves heighten military pressure on Iran and signal US intent to deter threats while calibrating operational posture to reduce vulnerabilities from large force concentrations.