The US has maintained a heightened military presence in the Middle East, with around 50,000 troops, more than 10 warships, and four Air Force fighter squadrons currently deployed in the region, reports the AP. US forces are distributed across the region both to protect allies and as a deterrent against potential attacks, several US officials stated in a comment to the agency. Military ships The USS Abraham Lincoln and its three destroyers are currently stationed in the Gulf of Oman, while two US destroyers are in the Red Sea. The guided-missile submarine USS Georgia, which Secretary of Defense…