AMERICAN ARMADA BEARS DOWN ON IRAN

A day after announcing the creation of what he called a “Board of Peace,” Donald Trump said American military assets were being deployed toward Iran “just in case” he decided to act.

- Agencies

The U.S. military has moved more forces into the region, including the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln and its accompanying warships, which sailed from the South China Sea into the Indian Ocean. A U.S. Navy official confirmed Thursday that the Lincoln strike group is now positioned there.

Speaking aboard Air Force One, Trump said the deployment was precautionary. “We have a massive fleet heading in that direction and maybe we won't have to use it,” he said. He later described the buildup as a “big flotilla” and an “armada.” The buildup is taking place days after Trump claimed to have prevented the hangings of over 800 Iranian protestors, a claim that seemed to have eased the situation.

Trump has said several times that Iran canceled plans to hang hundreds of detainees after U.S. warnings, without explaining the source of the information. Asked Tuesday whether the U.S. might still strike Iran, Trump said the regime had heeded Washington's warnings and canceled plans to execute 837 people last week. "We're just going to have to see what happens with Iran," he said.