USS George H.W. Bush<\/p>\n
The US is preparing to deploy a third aircraft carrier to the Mideast for strikes on Iran, media reports said on Friday.<\/p>\n
The US Navy USS George H.W. Bush aircraft carrier has completed preparations to leave for the Eastern Mediterranean, according to Fox News.<\/p>\n
The ship, which finalized its preparations off the coast of North Carolina\u2019s Hatteras Island, is expected to embark soon.<\/p>\n
The aircraft carrier boasts dozens of strike aircraft and will be accompanied by guided-missile destroyers.<\/p>\n
The USS Gerald R. Ford is currently operating in the Red Sea, while the USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72) aircraft carrier is active in the Sea of Oman.<\/p>\n
Tensions in the Middle East have escalated since last weekend, when the US and Israel launched large-scale attacks against Iran, killing more than 1,000 people, including Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, over 150 schoolgirls, and senior military officials.<\/p>\n
Iran has retaliated with sweeping barrages that have targeted US bases, diplomatic facilities, and military personnel across the region, as well as multiple Israeli cities.<\/p>\n