The movement of military aircraft and warships around Iran has intensified, prompting the suspension of flights in the region amid growing fears of a possible military confrontation.

The United States Navy aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln has reportedly gone silent, ceasing to transmit location data as it approached the Middle East. This unusual move has raised alarm across the region—particularly in Iran—over the possibility of a surprise military operation.

These concerns were reinforced by U.S. President Donald Trump, who stated on Tuesday, “We have many ships heading there, near Iran. I don’t think they will be used, but we are watching Iran very closely.”

He clarified that the vessels moving toward the region include aircraft carriers.
Military analysts tracking the USS Abraham Lincoln—escorted by other warships and supported by air-defense systems—say its disappearance from tracking systems is a tactical maneuver aimed at preparing a surprise strike on Iran.

Some analysts compare this strategy to past covert operations in which targeted countries were caught completely off guard.

Beyond U.S. naval deployments, the United Kingdom has also reinforced its military presence. British Typhoon fighter jets have been deployed to Qatar to support potential military operations should conflict erupt.

Reports indicate that the USS Abraham Lincoln deliberately went “dark”—a term used when a vessel switches off radar and tracking signals—while passing through the Strait of Malacca, between Indonesia and Malaysia, before entering the Indian Ocean en route to the Middle East.

The carrier’s mission, according to analysts, is to reach its operational zone in the Middle East without revealing its position to hostile forces. Because it does not appear on maritime radar systems, the ship can re-emerge unexpectedly near the shores of countries considered adversaries of the United States.

In response, Iran issued a strong warning, declaring that if the aircraft carrier launches attacks against Iran or any other country in the region, Tehran reserves the right to use all available means of self-defense.

Amid the growing instability in the Middle East, French and Dutch passenger airlines have announced the suspension of flights to and within the region, citing heightened security risks.