US deploys warship, Patriot missiles in Middle East

Agencies

May 12, 2019

Washington, May 12: Amid escalating tensions with Iran, the Pentagon has announced that it is deploying a warship and a Patriot air defence missile system in the Middle East to deter the threats of possible operations against US forces in the region by Tehran.

The USS Arlington, which transports amphibious vehicles and aircraft, and the Patriot air defence system will join the USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group and a B-52 bomber task force in the Middle East region in response to indications of heightened Iranian readiness to conduct offensive operations against US forces and our interests, the Pentagon said on Friday.

The approval to deploy additional military asset against Iran has been done at the request of US Central Command, it said, adding that the Pentagon continues to closely monitor the activities of the Iranian regime, their military and proxies.

The Pentagon said the US did not seek conflict with Iran, but that Washington was ‘ready to defend US forces and interests in the region.’

“The Department of Defense continues to closely monitor the activities of the Iranian regime,” it said in a statement.

“Due to operational security, we will not discuss timelines or location of forces, the Pentagon said.

USS Arlington is a San Antonio-class ship that transports US marines, amphibious vehicles, conventional landing craft and rotary aircraft with the capability to support amphibious assault, special operations or expeditionary warfare missions.

It also provides a high-quality command and control capability and improved interoperability with allies and partners in the region. A Patriot battery is a long-range, all-weather air defense system to counter tactical ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and advanced aircraft.

Senator Jim Inhofe, chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, welcomed the move. “By proactively moving the USS Arlington and a Patriot system to the region to join the USS Abraham Lincoln, the United States is sending Iran a clear message: stand down or we will stand up,” he said.

US President Donald Trump last year unilaterally withdrew from a landmark nuclear deal America and other nations had agreed with Iran in 2015. Under the accord, Iran had agreed to limit its sensitive nuclear activities and allow in international inspectors in return for sanctions relief.

White House last month said it would end exemptions from sanctions for five countries – China, India, Japan, South Korea and Turkey – that were still buying Iranian oil.

Iran on Wednesday threatened to enrich its uranium stockpile closer to weapons-grade levels if Europe, China and Russia fail to deliver sanctions relief within 60 days.

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Pak jail authorities say Imran Khan is alive and healthy after ‘murder’ rumours spark panic

News Network

November 27,2025

Authorities at Pakistan’s high-security Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi on Wednesday dismissed speculation about the condition of imprisoned former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, rejecting rumours that he had been moved out of the facility or was in danger. Officials said Khan was in “good health” and described the viral death claims as “baseless.”

“There is no truth to reports about his transfer from Adiala Jail,” the Rawalpindi prison administration said in a statement, according to Geo News. “He is fully healthy and receiving complete medical attention.”

Amid swirling rumours on social media, Imran Khan’s party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), urged the federal government to issue an official clarification and demanded that authorities allow his family to meet him immediately, Dawn reported.

The frenzy began after Khan’s three sisters called for an impartial probe into what they described as a “brutal” police assault on them and other PTI supporters outside Adiala Jail last week. Soon after, several social media handles circulated unverified claims alleging that Khan had been “killed” inside the prison.

The rumours intensified when a handle named “Afghanistan Times” claimed that “credible sources” had confirmed Khan’s “murder” and that his body had been moved out of the jail — allegations that have not been verified by any credible agency.

Imran Khan, PTI’s patron-in-chief, has been lodged in the Rawalpindi prison since August 2023 in multiple cases. For over a month, an undeclared restriction has prevented family members and senior PTI leaders from meeting him. Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi has reportedly been denied access despite making seven attempts.

In a letter to Punjab Police Chief Usman Anwar, Khan’s sisters — Noreen Niazi, Aleema Khan, and Dr. Uzma Khan — said they were “peacefully protesting” outside the jail when police allegedly launched an unprovoked assault after streetlights were switched off.

“At 71, I was seized by my hair, thrown to the ground and dragged across the road,” Noreen Niazi said, alleging that other women present were also slapped and manhandled.

Adiala Jail officials reiterated that speculation over Imran Khan’s health was unfounded and insisted that his well-being was being ensured, Geo News reported.

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