President Donald Trump said a “massive armada” is heading toward Iran, even as he seeks to avoid further conflict in the Middle East.
“We have a lot of ships going that direction just in case. We have a big flotilla going in that direction. And we’ll see what happens,” Trump told reporters as he returned from the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland on Thursday.
“We have a big force going toward Iran. I’d rather not see anything happen, but we’re watching them very closely,” he added.
His remarks came after U.S. officials confirmed that military assets, including the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group, are being deployed to the Middle East. The War Zone says the carrier is now in the Indian Ocean.
A U.S. official earlier told The Wall Street Journal that additional air defense systems such as Patriot and Thaad anti-missile systems are also being considered for deployment to the Middle East.
The recent deployments come days after Trump said he was considering military options in response to Tehran’s nationwide crackdown on protests, which has left thousands dead.
Over the weekend, Trump publicly called for new leadership in Iran, accusing Ayatollah Ali Khamenei of “the complete destruction of the country and the use of violence at levels never seen before.”
On Thursday, however, the president signaled that he was open to negotiations with the regime. “Iran does want to talk, and we’ll talk,” Trump said.
The U.S.-based rights group Human Rights Activists News Agency on Thursday reported that Iran’s nationwide protests which started in December, have resulted in 5,002 confirmed deaths, 9,787 cases under review, 7,391 serious injuries, and 26,852 arrests.
On day 26 of Iran’s nationwide protests, HRANA reports 5,002 confirmed deaths, 9,787 under review, 7,391 seriously injured, and 26,852 arrests, amid internet blackouts and continued repression.#IranProtests
Check out HRANA’s full report: https://t.co/NUjEt2GGlR pic.twitter.com/SAuq26xrx5— HRANA English (@HRANA_English) January 23, 2026
A Bloomberg report, citing UN special rapporteur on human rights in Iran Mai Sato, noted that information from doctors inside the country indicates the death toll could be more than 20,000.
