Iran’s Revolutionary Guard “has its finger on the trigger,” the leader said, as US warships head for the Middle East.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guard, a force that was instrumental in the overthrow recent protests across the country in the conflict that left thousands dead, “is more ready than ever, finger on the gun,” said its commander on Saturday, as US warships towards the Middle East.

Nournews, a news agency close to Iran’s National Security Council, reported on its Telegram channel that the commander, Gen. Mohammad Pakpour, warned the United States and Israel “to avoid any miscalculation.”

“The Islamic Revolutionary Guards and beloved Iran are ready more than ever, facing the trigger, to carry out the orders and directives of the Supreme Commander,” Nournews quoted Pakpour as saying.

Tensions remain high between Iran and the US after a bloody protests which began on December 28, caused by the collapse of Iran’s currency, the rial, and engulfed the country for nearly two weeks.

President Trump has repeatedly warned Tehran, setting two red lines for the use of military force: the killing of peaceful protesters and the mass killing of people arrested in protests.

Mr. Trump has repeatedly mentioned Iran stop the execution of the 800 people arrested in the protests. He is unclear about the source of the claim – Iran’s chief prosecutor, Mohammad Movahedi, strongly denied it on Friday in a statement carried by the judiciary’s Mizan news agency.

On Thursday, Mr. Trump said aboard Air Force One that the US was there mobile warships referring to Iran “just in case” he wants to take action.

“We have a lot of ships heading there and we probably won’t have to use them,” said Mr. Trump.

A US military official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss troop movements, said Thursday that the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln and other warships were in the Indian Ocean.

Mr. Trump also mentioned the many discussions that American officials had with Iran on its issue nuclear program before Israel launched a 12-day war against the Islamic Republic in June, which also saw US warplanes bombard Iranian nuclear sites. He threatened Iran with military action that would make previous US strikes against Iranian uranium enrichment facilities “look like peanuts.”

“They should have made an agreement before we hit them,” said Mr.

The tensions have led at least two European airlines to ground some flights to the wider region.

Air France has canceled two return flights from Paris to Dubai over the weekend. The airline said it “closely follows the developments in the Middle East in real time and constantly monitors the situation in the areas where its aircraft are used and overflows to ensure the highest level of safety and security of the flight.” It said it will resume its service in Dubai later on Saturday.

Luxair said it postponed its Saturday flight from Luxembourg to Dubai by 24 hours “due to the tension and insecurity affecting the region’s airspace, and in line with the measures taken by many other airlines.”

It told the AP that it is closely monitoring the situation “and a decision on whether the flight will operate tomorrow will be made based on ongoing assessments.”

Arrivals information at Dubai International Airport also showed the cancellation of Saturday flights from Amsterdam by Dutch carriers KLM and Transavia. The airlines did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Other KLM flights to Tel Aviv in Israel were also canceled on Friday and Saturday, according to online flight trackers.

Although there have been no further protests in Iran for days, the death toll reported by activists continues to rise as information is coming out despite the most extensive internet blackout in Iran’s history, which has lasted more than two weeks.

The US Human Rights Activists News Agency on Saturday put the death toll at 5,137, and the number is expected to rise. More than 27,700 people have been arrested, he said.

The group’s figures have been accurate in previous conflicts and rely on a network of activists in Iran to confirm casualties. That death toll exceeds that of any other cycle of protest or unrest in decades, and recalls the turmoil surrounding Iran’s 1979 Islamic Revolution.

The Iranian government gave the first death toll on Wednesday, saying 3,117 people had died. It said there are 2,427 people who are members of the military and security forces, some calling others “terrorists.” In the past, Iran’s democratic regime has either counted or underreported the number of people killed in the unrest.