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.
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One person was killed and nearly a dozen hurt in a fresh attack on Riyadh's international airport on Sunday, Saudi authorities reported, a day after a strike claimed by Yemen's Houthis killed 13 people and wounded more than 300.
The Saudi-led coalition in Yemen said late Monday that it intercepted and destroyed two ballistic missiles launched by the Houthi group toward Khamis Mushait in southwestern Saudi Arabia.
The Houthi movement has escalated their attacks on Saudi Arabia, targeting the airport in Riyadh and other cities, killing more than a dozen people.
The Kremlin on Monday rejected a 60-day ceasefire idea proposed by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to allow his country to hold presidential elections, saying it wanted an overall peace deal instead.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says Russia hit at least six energy targets in deadly strikes across Ukraine, showing Moscow is unwilling to accept the energy ceasefire announced by U.S. President Donald Trump.
Georgia and Uzbekistan are aiming to nearly quadruple annual trade to $1 billion, up from $267.6 million in 2025, as the two countries seek to strengthen economic ties and expand transport links.
Iran has warned against the military use of Starlink, saying it has developed domestic technology capable of countering cyber threats linked to the satellite internet service.
Afghanistan has accused Pakistan of blaming Kabul for its domestic political and security problems, as Islamabad repeated claims that militants are using Afghan territory to launch attacks across the border.
Pakistan has called on Afghanistan’s Taliban authorities to crack down on militants operating from Afghan territory, warning that cross-border attacks pose a growing threat to regional security.
Saudi Arabia has vowed to remain resilient after a wave of Houthi missile and drone attacks killed around 20 people at Riyadh's main airport, raising concerns over the kingdom's air defences and disrupting flights across the region.
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