U.S. military buildup on Iran border

U.S. military buildup on Iran border

presstv

Russian military intelligence services are reporting a flurry of activity by American troops near Iran's borders, apparently in preparation for an attack. The Russian news agency RIA Novosti on Tuesday quoted a high-ranking security source as saying, "The latest military intelligence data point to heightened U.S. military preparations for both an air and ground operation against Iran". The official added that the Pentagon has probably not yet made a final decision as to when an attack will be launched. He noted the U.S. naval presence in the Persian Gulf has for the first time in the past four years, reached the level that existed shortly before the invasion of Iraq in March 2003. Russian Vice President of the Academy of Geopolitical Sciences, General Leonid Ivashov, said last week that the Pentagon is planning to launch a massive air strike on Iran's military infrastructure in the near future. A new U.S. aircraft carrier battle group, the USS John C. Stennis, with a crew of 3,200 and around 80 fixed-wing aircraft, including F/A-18 Hornet and Superhornet fighter-bombers, eight support ships and four nuclear submarines are heading for the Persian Gulf, where another aircraft carrier group led by the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower has been deployed since December 2006. The U.S. has also sent Patriot anti-missile systems to the region.