Tensions in the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz continue to escalate, with recent movements of U.S. naval forces highlighting the growing strain in the region. American aircraft carriers that had been operating relatively close to Iranian territorial waters have reportedly pulled back to more distant positions.

New satellite images released by the Chinese monitoring service MizarVision show the relocation of the U. S. Navy aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln. The vessel had previously been positioned roughly 350 kilometers from the Iranian coast but has since moved southwest. Satellite data indicates the carrier is now located about 1,100 kilometers away.

Another U.S. aircraft carrier, Gerald R. Ford, has also changed its deployment. The ship has shifted to the southern part of the Red Sea, near the city of Jeddah.

The Pentagon has not issued official comments regarding the repositioning of the carriers. Analysts link the redeployment to a rise in Iranian attacks targeting both military and civilian vessels operating in the region.

Officials in Tehran have repeatedly stated that missile and drone strikes carried out by Iran forced the U.S. carriers to alter their positions. Iranian sources have also claimed that one of these attacks caused damage to the Abraham Lincoln.