WASHINGTON, January 29. /TASS/. The US Armed Forces have deployed their sixth destroyer, the USS Delbert D Black, to the Persian Gulf, as reported by Western media, including CBS News and Reuters.

Citing an unnamed US official, the latter clarified that the US now has one aircraft carrier, six destroyers, and three littoral combat ships in the Middle East. The destroyer Delbert D Black arrived in the region during the last two days.

As US Secretary of State and National Security Advisor Marco Rubio stated on January 28, Washington is not ruling out the possibility of a military operation against Iran, which, according to the US side, would be preemptive. Rubio confirmed that the US intends to continue increasing its military presence in the Middle East in response to the latest round of tensions surrounding Iran.

Earlier, US President Donald Trump stated that a "massive armada" was heading toward Iran. He expressed hope that Tehran would come to the negotiating table and reach a "fair and equitable" deal that would include a complete abolition of nuclear weapons. The American leader recalled that last June, the US struck nuclear facilities in Iran. The strike was dubbed operation Midnight Hammer. Trump stated that the next attack will be "far worse," calling for preventing that from happening.