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yesterday

U.S. Redirects Nimitz Carrier to Middle East Following Israel-Iran Strikes

Officials frame the deployment as a defensive step to shield U.S. personnel during rising regional violence.

The aircraft carrier USS Nimitz underway in the Persian Gulf in 2013.
The U.S. Navy's nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Nimitz departs a naval base in Busan, South Korea, Sunday, April 2, 2023.
Crews are seen on the flight deck of the USS Nimitz, off the coast of Busan, South Korea, 27 March 2023/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo
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Overview

  • The U.S. Navy’s USS Nimitz diverted from a planned Danang port call Monday and set course for the Middle East after renewed hostilities between Israel and Iran.
  • More than 30 KC-135 and KC-46 aerial refueling aircraft departed U.S. bases en route to the region, with officials attributing some flights to routine NATO drills.
  • Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei accused the U.S. of complicity in Israel’s attack on Iran, alleging American policymakers facilitated the aggression.
  • The State Department and Secretary of State Marco Rubio have denied U.S. involvement in the strikes and stressed that American support for Israel remains strictly defensive.
  • Officials say the military redeployments are designed to shield U.S. personnel and signal deterrence as the conflict deepens and civilian casualties rise.