WASHINGTON, January 14. /TASS/. The Pentagon is worried about potential retaliation from Iran if the situation there deteriorates as the US withdrew planes, ships and personnel from the Middle East ahead of its operation in Venezuela, The Washington Post reported citing a source close to the American administration.
The US administration simply does not have the military resources in the region to launch a full-scale strike without the risk of retaliatory measures. It had to deprive the Central Command of a significant part of its forces to provide support in Venezuela, the source told the newspaper.
The aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford, which was sent to the Mediterranean in the summer of 2025, was transferred to the Caribbean in November, where it is still located. Two more aircraft carriers, the USS George Washington and the USS Abraham Lincoln, are currently in the Indo-Pacific region. According to the source, the Central Command of the US Armed Forces, which is responsible for planning operations in the Middle East, does not plan to send the USS Abraham Lincoln to the Middle East.
Earlier, the Politico newspaper reported that due to the lack of a significant contingent in the Middle East, Washington is severely limited in its force options against Iran.
Unrest in Iran began on December 29 after street protests caused by rial devaluation, and spread to most major cities. The government said about 40 law enforcement officers were killed. Since January 8, according to Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, armed terrorists have appeared among the demonstrators. Iran blamed Israel and the United States for organizing the riots. US President Donald Trump had previously warned that he was seriously considering the use of force against the Islamic republic.