Pentagon readies second US carrier for Middle East as Iran tensions rise
Shafaq News- Washington
The Pentagon instructed a second aircraft carrier strike group to prepare for possible deployment to the Middle East, the Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday.
Citing three US officials, the newspaper said President Donald Trump has not yet issued a formal deployment order and plans remain subject to change. If approved, the additional carrier would join the USS Abraham Lincoln, which is already operating in the region. One official told the Journal that the second carrier group would likely depart from the US East Coast within two weeks. The USS George H W Bush, currently conducting exercises off the coast of Virginia, could accelerate its training schedule as part of the preparations.
The deployment marks the first time in nearly a year that two US carrier strike groups operate simultaneously in the Middle East. In March 2025, the USS Harry S Truman and the USS Carl Vinson were positioned in the region during operations against Houthi forces in Yemen. Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is in Washington for talks with Trump at the White House, where discussions include the indirect negotiations with Iran. Officials told the Journal that details of a potential second round of US–Iran talks remain unresolved.
The first indirect round of talks concluded on February 6 in Muscat. Trump called the discussions “very good,” while Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said they focused exclusively on the nuclear file. Still, Trump has pressed for broader measures, including halting uranium enrichment, curbing Iran’s missile program, and ending support for regional allies. Tehran has repeatedly rejected those demands.
Read more: US-Iran Muscat talks: A diplomatic opening shadowed by redlines
