Overview
- Pentagon photos show F/A-18F Super Hornets launching from the USS Gerald R. Ford in the Mediterranean, underscoring operational readiness.
- Ship-tracking reports placed the carrier transiting the Strait of Gibraltar on Friday, and U.S. defense officials expect it to reach the Middle East within days.
- The Ford is moving to join the USS Abraham Lincoln, a step that would raise U.S. warships in the region from 13 to 17, including two carriers and multiple destroyers, according to a U.S. official cited by Al‑Monitor.
- Beyond the carriers, the United States has deployed additional fighter aircraft and reinforced air defenses across the region, according to open-source tracking and media reports.
- Analysts describe the carrier movement as a deliberate signal of deterrence as regional tensions persist during the latest phase of U.S.–Iran nuclear diplomacy.