The photos raised fears that Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps would fire the missiles at U.S. naval ships. It is a different kind of threat than the U.S. has previously seen from Iran, according to three American officials.

Reaction: The State Department ordered a partial evacuation of the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad, which some considered an overreaction.

Big picture: Some believe the recent developments, combined with additional intelligence about threats against commercial shipping and attacks by Iranian proxy forces, could indicate that Iran is preparing to attack the U.S. or its allies. But other officials said the moves could be defensive.