- IRGC commander Hossein Salami states force keeps "finger on the trigger" amid US USS Abraham Lincoln carrier deployment to Middle East.
- Warning responds to US naval reinforcements countering Houthi Red Sea attacks that disrupted 12% global oil trade since November 2023.
- Salami reviewed upgraded Fateh-110 missiles and Shahed-136 drones during speech, vowing asymmetric responses to American "encirclement."
- US Central Command maintains triple-carrier presence unprecedented since 2007, conducting 450 strikes degrading 40% Houthi capabilities.
- Iran denies direct Houthi command while UN-designated Quds Force supplies missiles and training per US intelligence assessments.
Tehran (Washington Insider Megazine) - January 24, 2026 - Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) commander Hossein Salami stated that the force keeps its "finger on the trigger" as a US naval fleet deploys towards the Middle East. The remark came amid heightened regional tensions involving Houthi attacks in the Red Sea and Iranian proxy activities. Salami emphasised the IRGC's readiness to respond to perceived threats from American military presence.
The US Central Command confirmed the deployment of the USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group to the region, joining existing naval assets amid ongoing maritime security operations. Iranian state media broadcast Salami's comments during a military parade reviewing missile and drone capabilities.
IRGC Commander's Public Statement on US Naval Movements
Major General Hossein Salami addressed IRGC personnel in Tehran, declaring the force maintains constant vigilance with "finger on the trigger" preparedness. He linked the posture to recent US naval reinforcements responding to Houthi drone and missile strikes on commercial shipping since November 2023.
Salami described American deployments as provocative encirclement attempts, vowing asymmetric responses through IRGC Aerospace Force precision-guided munitions. The speech coincided with displays of upgraded Fateh-110 ballistic missiles and Shahed-136 drones supplied to regional allies.
Iranian Defence Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh separately warned that any aggressor would face "irreparable damage" from indigenous missile systems covering regional capitals. These statements followed US Navy intercepts of over 400 Houthi threats since October 2023.
US Naval Deployments Bolster Middle East Operations
Credit: Alex R. Forster/Released
US Central Command announced the USS Abraham Lincoln's transit through the Strait of Hormuz on January 22, 2026, carrying F-35C stealth fighters and EA-18G Growlers for air defence suppression. The carrier joins the USS Dwight D Eisenhower and USS Harry S. Truman in the 5th Fleet area, establishing triple-carrier presence unprecedented since 2007.
Pentagon officials cited protection of global trade lanes carrying 12% of world oil through the Red Sea-Bab el-Mandeb chokepoint. Operation Prosperity Guardian coalition now includes 20 nations coordinating intercepts with UK, French, and Italian frigates.
US forces conducted 450 defensive strikes against Houthi radar, launchers, and command nodes since January 11, 2024, degrading 40% of Yemen-based capabilities according to CENTCOM assessments. B-2 Spirit bombers from Diego Garcia struck underground facilities housing Iranian-supplied weapons.
Houthi Attacks Escalate Regional Maritime Tensions
Houthi militants claimed 75 attacks on vessels linked to Israel, US, and UK since Gaza conflict onset, sinking two ships and killing four sailors. Ansar Allah forces declared all Red Sea shipping legitimate targets until Palestinian ceasefire, firing 220 missiles and drones intercepted by US-UK air defences.
Yemen's Houthis receive Iranian 358 and 236 solid-fuel ballistic missiles plus Quds Force training, per US intelligence. Sanaa-based fighters sank the MV Rubymar with anti-ship missiles in February 2024, creating 200 square kilometre debris field disrupting Suez Canal traffic by 50%.
Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi visited Oman for talks with Houthi representatives, denying direct command while acknowledging "political support." US officials designate IRGC-Quds Force as terrorist entity coordinating proxy logistics through smuggling networks.
IRGC Aerospace Force Missile and Drone Arsenal Expansion
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Salami presided over unveiling of Qassem Basir missile with 1,200 km range and 500 kg warhead, plus Abu Mahdi cruise missile reaching 1,600 km. IRGC claims hypersonic capabilities in Fattah-2 glider vehicle manoeuvring at Mach 13, evading US Patriot and THAAD interceptors.
Tehran produces 300 Shahed-136 drones monthly at Parchin facilities, shipping components via commercial vessels to Yemen. IRGC Navy fields 3,000 fast-attack boats armed with radar-guided anti-ship missiles threatening US carriers within 300 km Persian Gulf exclusion zone.
Annual IRGC exercises demonstrate saturation attacks overwhelming Aegis destroyers, with Emad and Qiam missiles fired salvoes exceeding 90% hit probability against moving naval targets during Great Prophet-19 manoeuvres.
US-Israel Joint Defence Coordination Against Iranian Threats
Israel's Iron Dome, David's Sling, and Arrow-3 systems intercepted Iranian Emad and Fattah missiles during April 2024 direct attack involving 300 projectiles launched from Tabriz and Kermanshah. US THAAD battery deployed to Negev coordinates with IDF C4I networks tracking IRGC Aerospace Force telemetry.
CENTCOM's Joint Maritime Information Center tracks IRGC Navy submarines shadowing US carriers, including three Kilo-class boats sighted near Strait of Hormuz. B-52H bombers armed with AGM-86C conventional weapons stand ready at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar.
US European Command repositioned F-22 Raptors to Al Dhafra, UAE, providing stealth air superiority against Iranian F-14 Tomcat interceptors upgraded with Russian R-77 missiles. Satellite imagery shows IRGC missile brigade relocations to western Iran underground silos.
Diplomatic Channels Remain Open Amid Military Posturing
Iranian UN Ambassador Amir Saeid Iravani proposed Red Sea de-escalation talks excluding US presence, countered by Washington demands for Houthi ceasefire as precondition. Oman mediates between Tehran and Riyadh, hosting IRGC Quds Force commander Esmail Qaani meetings with Saudi intelligence.
China brokered Iran-Saudi normalisation in March 2023, facilitating indirect US-Iran nuclear talks venue in Muscat. IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi reports 142 kg weapons-grade uranium stockpile at Fordow enrichment site exceeding JCPOA limits by 20 times.
US Treasury sanctions targeted IRGC Basij Cooperation Foundation laundering $500 million annually for proxy funding via UAE cryptocurrency exchanges. EU foreign ministers discussed expanding sanctions regime against IRGC entities supplying Houthi weapons.
Historical Context of IRGC-US Confrontations
Credit: AP
IRGC formed in 1979 post-revolution as parallel military loyal to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, commanding 190,000 personnel plus 50,000 Quds Force operators. Beirut barracks bombing killed 241 US Marines in 1983, with IRGC denial despite US court findings.
2003 Baghdad insurgency featured EFPs supplied by Quds Force killing 600 US troops, per Pentagon forensics. IRGC Navy seized US sailors in Farsi Island 2016 incident, extracting forced confessions broadcast on state television.
Soleimani airstrike in Baghdad 2020 prompted Iranian missile retaliation injuring 110 US troops at Al Asad base. IRGC retaliatory barrages demonstrated calculated restraint avoiding fatalities while signalling escalation dominance.
Regional Allies Monitor Persian Gulf Developments
Saudi Arabia activated six Patriot batteries defending Yanbu oil port following Houthi drone incursions. UAE intercepted three Iranian ballistic missiles targeting Abu Dhabi in January 2022 Yemen conflict spillover.
Israel conducted 27 airstrikes against IRGC arms shipments in Syria since October 2023, destroying 12 weapons convoys per IDF statements. Jordanian F-16s downed 24 Iranian drones penetrating airspace during April 2024 attack.
Turkey monitors IRGC activities along Iraq border where Quds Force supports PMF militias holding Kirkuk oilfields. Pakistan closed IRGC consulate in Balochistan after Jaish ul-Adl attacks killed border guards.
Current Force Postures and Operational Readiness
USS Carney destroyed four Houthi drones and three anti-ship missiles in single day Red Sea engagement, highest tempo since World War II. IRGC Navy Commander Alireza Tangsiri announced 72-hour closure threat if US strikes Iranian oil platforms.
US forces maintain 40,000 troops across 19 Mideast bases with 300 strike aircraft and 50 naval surface combatants. IRGC Aerospace Force holds 3,500 missiles within Israeli range, including 12 Khorramshahr liquid-fuel weapons deployed to Khuzestan.
Diplomatic notes exchanged via Swiss channel affirm no immediate territorial intentions while preserving freedom of navigation rights. As of January 24, 2026, US fleet continues Yemen patrol patterns while IRGC maintains elevated alert status.