U.S. forces will hold multi-day air exercises in the Middle East as Washington increases its military presence amid strained ties with Iran.
The U.S. military said the drills are intended to test operations under demanding conditions while improving coordination with regional partners.
Air Forces Central said the exercise was designed to “enhance asset and personnel dispersal capability, strengthen regional partnerships and prepare for flexible response execution.”
The announcement came as U.S. President Donald Trump warned that an “armada” was moving toward Iran and said military action remained a possibility, while emphasising that he hoped to avoid escalation.
“We have a lot of ships going that direction, just in case,” Trump said. “I’d rather not see anything happen, but we’re watching them very closely.”
U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said the exercises would be held with the approval of host nations and in close coordination with civil and military aviation authorities, stressing safety, precision and respect for sovereignty. It did not disclose the location, duration or assets involved.
CENTCOM has also confirmed the arrival of a U.S. carrier strike group led by the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln, a deployment U.S. officials described as defensive and aimed at deterrence and regional stability.
Tensions between Washington and Tehran have intensified following Iran’s crackdown on anti-government protests. Trump has warned Tehran against killing protesters and said the United States remains open to talks if Iran understands the terms.
Iranian leaders have criticised the U.S. military buildup as destabilising. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said Iran was “more than capable” of responding to any aggression and that its armed forces were closely monitoring developments.
Several U.S. allies in the region, including Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, have said they would not allow their airspace to be used for military action against Iran. The UAE has also said it would not provide logistical support for any such operation.
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Azerbaijan is evacuating nearly 200 people from the Middle East on a special charter flight departing from Oman.
U.S. President Donald Trump and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer spoke by phone on Sunday as tensions between Washington and Westminster deepened over the conflict involving Iran. The call came less than a day after Trump criticised Britain’s response to U.S. strikes on Iranian targets.
Kazakhstan has evacuated more than 7,300 citizens from the Middle East since regional tensions escalated, using both air and land routes to bring nationals home while closely monitoring political developments and potential economic effects linked to rising oil prices.
Iran named Mojtaba Khamenei to succeed his father Ali Khamenei as supreme leader on Monday (9 March), signaling that hardliners remain firmly in charge, as the week-old U.S.-Israeli war with Iran pushed oil above $100 a barrel.
Mojtaba Khamenei, son of the late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, is a hardline cleric with strong backing from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. His rise signals continuity in Tehran's anti-Western policies.
Global oil prices surpassed $119 a barrel on Monday (9 March, 2026), an almost four year high, as the Middle East conflict rumbled on.
China has urged Afghanistan and Pakistan to resolve their dispute through dialogue after Chinese envoy Yue Xiaoyong met Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, as fighting between the two neighbours entered its eleventh day.
Welcome to our live coverage as the conflict involving Iran enters its 11th day. Tensions in the region remain high as the United States and Iran exchange increasingly sharp warnings over the strategic Strait of Hormuz, a critical artery for global oil supplies.
Entry and exit across the state border between Azerbaijan and Iran for all types of cargo vehicles, including those in transit, will resume on 9 March, according to a statement by the Cabinet of Ministers of Azerbaijan.
Reports of so-called “acid clouds” moving from Iran towards Central Asia are not supported by scientific data, national hydrometeorological services in Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan say, adding there is no threat to the region.
A senior delegation from the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly has been holding meetings with Georgian government officials, opposition leaders and security authorities this week, as international observers attempt to gauge the country’s political climate following last year’s contentious elections.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has told Masoud Pezeshkian, his Iranian counterpart, that violations of Turkish airspace by Iran could not be justified “for any reason whatsoever.”
The Cabinet of Ministers of Kyrgyzstan has approved a new programme aimed at developing educational courses and training sessions for young parents.
Kazakhstan has evacuated 8,585 citizens from Middle Eastern countries as regional tensions escalate. Authorities are coordinating air and land evacuations while analysts warn the crisis could reshape security and energy risks across the Caspian region.
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