Pentagon prepares second aircraft carrier to deploy to the Middle East

The Pentagon has told a second aircraft carrier strike group to prepare to deploy to the Middle East as the US military readies for a potential attack on Iran, according to three US officials.

On Tuesday, President Donald Trump told N12 that the United States is ready to attack Iran in case the negotiations with the Islamic Republic fail, and that he was considering sending a second aircraft carrier strike group to the Middle East.

“Either we will make a deal, or we will have to do something very tough like last time,” Trump told N12, who also warned that the US has “an armada that is heading there and another one might be going.”

The order to deploy “could be issued in a matter of hours,” one of the officials confirmed to the Wall Street Journal, though no official directive from Trump has yet been given. 

According to the Wall Street Journal, the Pentagon has been preparing a carrier to deploy “in two weeks, likely from the East Coast.” Aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush is currently performing training exercises off the Virginia coast and “could potentially expedite those exercises,” an official said.

Currently stationed in the Middle East is the USS Lincoln aircraft carrier and several other vessels. Trump also met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday to discuss their respective countries’ red lines on nuclear talks with Iran.

“There was nothing definitive reached other than I insisted that negotiations with Iran continue to see whether or not a Deal can be consummated,” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post following the meeting.

“Last time Iran decided that they were better off not making a Deal, and they were hit with Midnight Hammer — That did not work well for them. There is truly PEACE in the Middle East.”

For over a month, people have anticipated a US strike against Iran’s Islamic regime. There were a couple time periods where a US attack seemed certain and imminent, but no strike occurred.

It is possible that President Trump is genuinely negotiating a deal with the Islamic regime, but it is also possible that he is stalling for time to make sure all American forces are where they need to be.

Toppling the Islamic regime will not be as straightforward as the US’ capture of Nicolas Maduro last month, which complicates US plans for a strike on Iran. As of now, all possibilities, from multiple large scale strikes over a long period of time, to no attacks at all, remain on the table.