PULSE POINTS
WHAT HAPPENED: The USS Gerald R. Ford, the U.S. Navy’s largest aircraft carrier, is set to be deployed to the Mediterranean amid escalating tensions between Israel and Iran.
WHO WAS INVOLVED: The USS Gerald R. Ford, U.S. Navy, and other American military personnel.
WHEN & WHERE: Deployment expected next week to the Mediterranean Sea, joining other U.S. carriers in the region.
IMPACT: The deployment signals a heightened U.S. military presence in response to the ongoing Iran-Israel conflict.
IN FULL
The USS Gerald R. Ford, the U.S. Navy’s largest and newest aircraft carrier, is set to be deployed to the Mediterranean. This move—which relocates a significant U.S. military asset—comes as tensions between Israel, located on the Mediterranean coast, and Iran escalate, with mutual airstrikes ongoing.
The $13 billion nuclear-powered carrier, which spans 1,100 feet, is expected to leave for Europe as early as next week. This will make it the third U.S. aircraft carrier group in the area, joining the USS Carl Vinson in the Persian Gulf and the USS Nimitz, which was sent from Southeast Asia earlier this week.
The deployment of the USS Gerald R. Ford was reportedly scheduled last year, but its arrival in the Mediterranean will still be viewed as a significant response to the rising tensions in the region. The carrier is equipped with state-of-the-art technology and serves as the flagship of America’s naval fleet.
In addition to the carrier group, other U.S. warships have departed from a naval base in Bahrain, and aerial refueling tankers have been sent to the region, the latter likely towing a number of Air Force warplanes. These movements come amid reports of increased military activity following Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, rejecting calls for unconditional surrender.
Image via NATO.
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