The Pentagon has instructed a second aircraft carrier strike group to prepare for potential deployment to the Middle East as the United States increases military readiness in response to rising tensions with Iran, according to The Wall Street Journal.
Officials say President Donald Trump is considering the move if diplomatic negotiations with Tehran fail, and a formal order to deploy could be issued within hours, though none has been given yet. The additional carrier would join the USS Abraham Lincoln, already operating in the region.
One U.S. official noted the second strike group could deploy from the East Coast within about two weeks, with the USS George H.W. Bush completing training exercises off Virginia before possibly accelerating its schedule.
Trump met Wednesday with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House to discuss Iran and other regional issues. After the meeting, Trump reiterated his preference for a negotiated deal with Iran but underscored that military options remain if talks break down.
If ordered, this would be the first time in nearly a year that two U.S. aircraft carriers have been positioned in the Middle East, marking a significant escalation in America’s military posture amid delicate nuclear diplomacy.
