The United States is sending a second aircraft carrier to the Middle East amid escalating tensions with Iran, U.S. media outlets reported on Thursday, 12 February, in an effort to reinforce its naval presence as diplomatic efforts falter.
The nuclear‑powered aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford and its escort ships are being redeployed from the Caribbean to the Middle East.
The Gerald R. Ford departed Norfolk, Virginia, in June for a deployment originally intended to include European waters, but it was rerouted to the Caribbean to support broader U.S. military operations. This included the involvement of the Ford’s aircraft in a January operation in Venezuela that resulted in the capture of President Nicolás Maduro.
Four U.S. officials told The New York Times that the ship’s crew was informed of the decision on Thursday and that the Gerald R. Ford battle group is now unlikely to return to its home port until late April or early May.
The move comes as U.S. President Donald Trump has publicly weighed sending another carrier if negotiations with Iran on a nuclear deal do not yield results.
“We have to make a deal, otherwise it’s going to be very traumatic, very traumatic,” Trump told reporters, while suggesting a diplomatic solution might still be possible.
The deployment underscores continued strains between Washington and Tehran over Iran’s nuclear programme and broader regional influence, even as indirect talks have taken place in Oman with little breakthrough reported.
SpaceX’s next-generation Starship rocket reached orbit for the first time on Monday despite an unexpected engine shutdown, deploying 26 new S...
Afghanistan’s Ministry of Defence says its forces killed 28 fighters and captured 32 others in Nuristan after armed groups, including alleged...
EU defence ministers have stepped up talks on military readiness and long-term support for Ukraine, as pressure mounts on Europe to close critical ...
Iran has called for a diplomatic solution after U.S. President Donald Trump rejected its Hormuz proposal, while Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran was awaiting a definitive U.S. response through mediators.
A Russian guided aerial bomb has struck an apartment building in Kharkiv, injuring 22 people, including children, according to the city’s mayor. The strike follows a day of near-continuous Russian attacks across Ukraine that killed at least five people.
British police have arrested five men on suspicion of offences under the Explosives Act after a major security incident was declared near RAF Fairford, a British air base used by U.S. air forces in Gloucestershire, England.
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan has arrived in Washington for talks with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on bilateral ties and key regional and international developments, Saudi state news agency SPA reported.
Here's your AnewZ Daily Brief for 28 September 2026. These are the top stories making headlines in technology.
Afghanistan’s Ministry of Defence says its forces killed 28 fighters and captured 32 others in Nuristan after armed groups, including alleged Islamic State members, crossed the border from Pakistan on Saturday.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) says it has captured a second U.S. military unmanned underwater vehicle in the Strait of Hormuz, as tensions between Tehran and Washington remain high.
Pakistan and Afghanistan have traded fresh accusations over alleged militant activity in Afghanistan’s northeastern Nuristan province as tensions between the two neighbours escalate.
Willy Sagnol’s six-year spell as Georgia head coach has ended, closing a historic chapter that saw the country reach its first European Championship and advance to the last 16.
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan arrived in Washington on Monday for talks with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio as Houthi attacks increase pressure on Riyadh and threaten Red Sea shipping.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment