US deploys world's largest aircraft carrier near Middle East
A US Navy official announced that the USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier will set sail next week for European waters, becoming the third American carrier positioned near the Middle East as tensions soar following the outbreak of hostilities between Iran and Washington's close ally, 'Israel'.
The deployment comes as the US military intensifies exercises in the region, coinciding with the first week of open conflict between Tehran and Tel Aviv.
On Thursday, President Donald Trump said he would take two weeks to decide whether to launch a direct military intervention against Iran.
According to the Navy official, the Gerald R. Ford will depart from its home port in Norfolk, Virginia, on the morning of June 24 as part of a scheduled deployment heading toward Europe.
Commissioned in 2017, the Ford is the lead vessel of the US Navy's newest class of nuclear-powered aircraft carriers.
Weighing 100,000 tons, the ship represents the most advanced carrier in the US fleet.
Currently, the USS Carl Vinson has been stationed in the Middle East for several months and has taken part in US airstrikes targeting Houthis in Yemen.
Meanwhile, the USS Nimitz, which had been docked in the South China Sea, has also begun moving west toward the region.
In recent days, large US military aircraft have flown to American bases across Europe, while dozens of aircraft have been relocated from the Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, reportedly as a precautionary measure against possible Iranian strikes.
Before the war erupted, Washington and Tehran were engaged in indirect talks over Iran's nuclear program.
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