The United States is preparing to send its most advanced aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald R. Ford, to the Mediterranean Sea, marking the latest in a series of major military movements amid escalating tensions between Israel and Iran, according to the NY Post.
According to a report by CNN’s senior national security correspondent Zachary Cohen, the $13 billion nuclear-powered carrier is expected to depart for Europe as soon as next week.
The move, while reportedly part of a deployment schedule planned last year, is widely seen as a significant show of force during a volatile period in the Middle East.
Once in the Mediterranean, the Ford will become the third US aircraft carrier operating near Iran, joining the USS Carl Vinson, currently stationed in the Persian Gulf, and the USS Nimitz, which the US Navy redirected from Southeast Asia earlier this week.
The carrier deployments come amid heightened regional concerns following heavy Israeli bombing of Tehran and sensitive nuclear sites and ballistic missile reprisals at Israel’s population centers from Iran.
The signals from Washington are that it is prepared to bolster its military posture in support of its ally.
The military movements follow recent remarks from U.S. President Donald Trump, who hinted at potential US military action against Iran, after Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei dismissed calls for unconditional surrender amid the ongoing conflict with Israel.
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