U.S. Navy conducts exercises in Arabian Sea

The U.S. Navy announced Sunday that it had conducted training exercises in the Arabian Sea.

In this Friday, May 17, 2019, photo released by the U.S. Navy, Aviation Boatswain's Mate 2nd Class Nicholas Hawkins, from Houston, Texas, signals an MV-22 Osprey to land on the flight deck of the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln in the Arabian Sea. [Photo: Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Amber Smalley/U.S. Navy via AP]

In a press release, the Navy said the exercises and training were conducted on Friday and Saturday with the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier strike group in coordination with the U.S. Marine Corps.

Also taking part in the exercises were the Kearsarge Amphibious Ready Group and the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit, both deployed to the U.S. Fifth Fleet area of operations in the Gulf.

The exercises included air-to-air training, steaming in formation and maneuvering, and establishing joint communications to rapidly enable a command and control environment, according to the Navy.

The exercises came amid increased tensions between the United States and Iran.

In an interview with Fox News that aired Sunday, U.S. President Donald Trump said that he would not let Iran have nuclear weapons.

"I don't want to fight. But you do have situations like Iran, you can't let them have nuclear weapons -- you just can't let that happen," he told Fox News host Steve Hilton.

Washington has recently ratcheted up pressure against Tehran with a series of sanctions, designations and military threats, following a year-long campaign against Iran after U.S. exit from the landmark Iran nuclear deal last year.