U.S. Media: U.S. Directs Second Aircraft Carrier to Prepare for Deployment to the Middle East

Odaily News According to The Wall Street Journal, three U.S. officials revealed that as the U.S. military prepares for potential attacks on Iran, the U.S. Department of Defense has directed a second aircraft carrier strike group to prepare for deployment to the Middle East. One official stated that deployment orders could be issued within hours. On Tuesday, Trump said he was considering sending a second aircraft carrier to the Middle East in case military action is needed if negotiations with Iran fail. Officials cautioned that Trump has not yet formally ordered the deployment of the second carrier, and plans could change. One official said the Pentagon is preparing to deploy a carrier within two weeks, potentially from the U.S. East Coast. The USS George H.W. Bush is conducting a series of training exercises off the coast of Virginia, and this deployment could accelerate those exercises. If a second carrier is deployed to the Middle East, it would mark the first time in nearly a year that two carriers are present in the region.