US carrier rearms as Iran trade routes narrow: Report

  The US is replenishing naval supplies amid preparations for possible renewed strikes against Iran, while Iraq and Pakistan restrict Iranian border trade. Donald Trump has left military action or a diplomatic deal open as US agencies warn of heightened regional threats 

Washington: A US aircraft carrier is replenishing supplies for possible renewed strikes against Iran, while restrictions at Iraqi and Pakistani border crossings are adding to Tehran’s economic isolation, according to reports by The Wall Street Journal.

The reports describe military preparations and restrictions on commerce as President Donald Trump weighs further action against Iran. Neither establishes that he has issued an order for a new bombing campaign.

---

In a video report published on Saturday, the Journal’s Shelby Holliday described night-time aircraft launches and recoveries aboard USS George Washington in the Arabian Sea, followed by a major replenishment operation. The report said aircraft were enforcing the blockade of Iranian ports and protecting shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.

It described the replenishment as indicating preparations for a potentially larger bombing campaign.

The Washington Post separately reported preparations to position up to three aircraft carriers and escort vessels in the region in November, citing unnamed officials. On land, Iraq closed the Sheeb crossing on Wednesday, citing anti-smuggling enforcement, the Journal reported.

Pakistan restricted Iranian trucks at Gabd and Taftan during the preceding weekend, citing security concerns. Those restrictions predated the Journal’s Friday report and Saturday print edition. They were not announced as new closures on Saturday.

Trump, speaking after voting early in Palm Beach, Florida, on Saturday, again left open both military action and an agreement with Tehran. “I may have to finish it off or maybe they’ll make a deal, but I’m not sure,” he said.

Asked later about the timing of a possible attack, Trump declined to disclose his thinking. He said an attack remained possible, as did an agreement, while questioning whether Iran would honour a deal. He announced neither a military timetable nor a negotiated settlement during the exchange. Meanwhile, The New York Times reported that US agencies assessed threats against Americans in the Middle East and several other countries as their highest since the war began.

The newspaper cited unnamed US officials. Its report described potential targets in Europe and intelligence suggesting Iran might have operatives in the United States. Another official, however, cautioned that Iran’s ability to conduct overseas attacks was limited and fell short of its ambitions. Those assessments were not independently verified.

The warning was conveyed in an October 23 memo from Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton to Secretary of State Marco Rubio. A US official had previously confirmed the memo and said threats from Iran and Yemen’s Houthi forces were informing embassy staffing decisions.

“When it comes to our staffing at embassies, we constantly evaluate new information about the security environment,” the official said. The conflict began with US and Israeli strikes on Iran in February, followed by Iranian attacks across the region. Washington subsequently maintained a blockade of Iranian ports while diplomatic efforts continued.