The USS Theodore Roosevelt, reportedly heading to the Middle East.
US to send third aircraft carrier to Middle East as Trump mulls resuming strikes: report
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The Pentagon is preparing to deploy a third aircraft carrier strike group to the Middle East, adding thousands of troops amid heightened tensions with Iran, according to a Wall Street Journal report citing US officials.
The USS Theodore Roosevelt and its strike group departed San Diego on Sunday, while the USS Makin Island Amphibious Ready Group, carrying Marines from the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit, left the following day.
The ships, aircraft, and personnel—estimated at 9,000 to 10,000 additional sailors and Marines—are expected to arrive by the end of November.
Two carriers are already operating in the region: the USS George H.W. Bush and the USS George Washington, the latter of which relieved the USS Abraham Lincoln in August.
If the George Washington remains when the Roosevelt arrives, the US would field three carrier strike groups in the Middle East simultaneously for the first time since April, before a fragile ceasefire took hold after fighting began on February 28.
The buildup would expand options for US Central Command as President Donald Trump weighs whether to resume military strikes against Iran after the November midterm elections.
More than 50,000 American troops and about 20 Navy vessels are already in the theater.
One US official said the additional forces “give US commanders more options if President Donald Trump chooses to escalate attacks on Iran.”
Addressing the United Nations General Assembly last week, Trump said he faced a decision over whether to pursue a deal with Iran or drive it “into hell,” adding that he might “annihilate” the Iranian regime.
In a subsequent interview, he called ramped-up bombing after the midterms “possible,” while rejecting Tehran’s latest ceasefire proposal.
The deployments come as the Navy confronts extended operational demands, supply-line disruptions from Iranian strikes, and reports of severe strain on earlier crews, including multiple suicide attempts during the Abraham Lincoln’s lengthy deployment.
Senior officials have prepared the Roosevelt’s crew for a potentially prolonged stay.
Whether the third carrier ultimately reinforces or rotates existing forces remains unclear, but the move signals sustained US resolve to maintain pressure on Tehran while diplomatic efforts stall ahead of the midterms.
