Gulf shipping operations grind to halt near Iran; US quietly prepares for possible strike: 'Heightened risk'

Shipping successful the Persian Gulf dipped sharply Wednesday arsenic tensions with Iran intensified amid signs the U.S. was positioning subject forces for a imaginable strike, according to maritime quality assessments.

The U.S. Navy’s USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group entered the U.S. Central Command country of work Monday, a U.S. authoritative confirmed to Fox News Digital, arsenic President Donald Trump continued to support subject options connected the table.

"At this stage, it remains ambiguous, and astir apt intentionally ambiguous, what the objectives and desired outcomes are of immoderate U.S. subject action," Ambrey Intelligence's Robert Peters told Fox News Digital.

"This means that determination are a wider scope of possibilities and retaliatory scenarios nether consideration," helium added.

TRUMP ANNOUNCES 'FINAL' 25% TARIFF ON COUNTRIES DOING BUSINESS WITH IRAN REGIME

Persian Gulf tanker and cargo shipping dips arsenic Trump positions subject against Iran. (Morteza Nikoubazl/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

"That said, determination are 5 U.S.-flagged merchant vessels, tankers and cargo ships, successful the Gulf contiguous — 2 transited the Strait of Hormuz earlier without immoderate evident issues — but those already successful the Gulf and destined for the U.S. are astatine heightened risk," helium added.

Trump, who earlier this week indicated "numerous" calls were received from Iran, besides posted astir the concern connected Truth Social Wednesday morning.

"A monolithic Armada is heading to Iran. It is moving quickly, with large power, enthusiasm, and purpose. It is simply a larger fleet, headed by the large Aircraft Carrier Abraham Lincoln, than that sent to Venezuela," helium wrote.

IRAN POSES A FAR MORE DANGEROUS MILITARY TEST FOR THE US THAN VENEZUELA, EXPERTS WARN

Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei says immoderate enactment by the U.S. volition beryllium met with retaliation. (Majid Saeedi/Getty Images; Win McNamee/Getty Images)

"Like with Venezuela, it is ready, willing, and capable to rapidly fulfill its mission, with velocity and violence, if necessary. Hopefully Iran volition rapidly ‘Come to the Table’ and negociate a just and equitable woody — NO NUCLEAR WEAPONS — 1 that is bully for each parties. Time is moving out, it is genuinely of the essence! As I told Iran erstwhile before, MAKE A DEAL!"

The station came arsenic the Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) reported the decease toll from nationwide protests successful Iran has surpassed 6,200 since the outset connected Dec. 28. 

The enactment said astir 17,100 much were nether investigation, with "a continuation of some scattered and wide arrests," arsenic net restrictions continue.

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Demonstrators pain a poster depicting Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei during a rally successful enactment of anti-government protests successful Iran, Jan. 14., successful Holon, Israel.  (AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg)

Peters meanwhile, claimed that "shipping companies person been advised to trim aggregate hazard erstwhile operating successful the Arabian/Persian Gulf.

"This means limiting the fig of ships that could beryllium exposed to retaliatory action, and sometimes ships volition await further instructions person to their adjacent larboard successful the Gulf," helium said. "At this point, it is much due to hold further away, successful lawsuit of an escalation."

Ali Shamkhani, an advisor to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, warned Wednesday that immoderate subject enactment by the U.S., from immoderate root and astatine immoderate level, "will beryllium regarded arsenic the commencement of a war, and the effect volition beryllium immediate, all-out, and unprecedented, targeting the bosom of Tel Aviv and each those who enactment the aggressor," according to Iran International.

IRAN STRIKES COULD SIGNAL LIMITS OF BEIJING, MOSCOW’S POWER AS US FLEXES STRENGTH

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi speaks during a quality briefing, Jan. 18, successful Tehran, Iran. (Vahid Salemi/AP)

"Our brave Armed Forces are prepared — with their fingers connected the trigger — to instantly and powerfully respond to ANY aggression against our beloved land, air, and sea," Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said successful a station connected X.

With tensions rising successful the region, Peters described however shipowners whitethorn beryllium being approached by cargo charterers to load cargo successful the Gulf.

"Then they volition marque the determination to debar the Gulf for the clip being until the tensions reduce," Peters added. "Interestingly, past twelvemonth the Iranians did not instrumentality retaliatory enactment successful the maritime sphere: Israeli shipping was already avoiding the Gulf, and the U.S. subject enactment was highly targeted astatine the atomic capabilities."

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But Peters warned that the concern "may spot thing akin again. If determination is simply a overmuch broader, regime-destabilizing operation, the effects could beryllium sizeable for wider shipping."

"During periods similar this, we thin to spot greater hazard aversion and inquiries from those asked to prime up cargo for U.S. charterers and destined for the U.S.," helium added.