Al-Qaeda has declared “jihad” against U.S. and Israeli forces, calling for attacks on American aircraft carriers in the Middle East and describing their arrival as part of a Zionist project. Meanwhile, the United States is preparing its naval and air power in the region in anticipation of a possible military action against Iran. Diplomatic talks are scheduled to be held in the Sultanate of Oman to resolve the disputes.

In a statement published on Tuesday, the group said that the arrival of U.S. forces in the Middle East is “part of a Zionist–Crusader project against Islam and Muslim countries,” urging followers to “fight and target them before their feet step onto the land of Islam.”

The statement added that the campaign “has sent its aircraft carriers,” which, it claimed, “can be sunk just as the fighters in Yemen did when they bombed the USS Cole and killed U.S. Navy personnel,” asserting that a repeat of what happened in Venezuela is not far-fetched.

The announcement comes at a time when the United States is building up its forces in the region in preparation for a potential military strike against Iran if no diplomatic solution is reached.