New Delhi, Jan. 28 -- The United States announced a major multi-day Air Force exercise in the Middle East on Tuesday (January 27), as tensions with Iran escalate over the Islamic republic's deadly crackdown on anti-government protests.

The exercise aims to "demonstrate the ability to deploy, disperse, and sustain combat airpower across" the region, according to a statement from the US Air Force component of Central Command, which oversees American forces in the Middle East. No specific date or location for the drills were released.

The announcement came a day after the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group arrived in the region, significantly increasing American military presence.

Protests in Iran began in late December over economi...