Washington prepares to send third carrier strike group to Middle East
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on Zambian Observer
The United States is considering sending a third aircraft carrier strike group to the Middle East, where two US aircraft carriers are already deployed. The reinforcement could come in November, amid tensions with Iran and talks between Iranian and Qatari representatives in Doha, reports the Zambian Observer.
The United States is preparing to send a third aircraft carrier strike group to the Middle East, while two US aircraft carriers, the USS George H.W. Bush and the USS George Washington, are already operating in the region, reports the Zambian Observer.
The USS Theodore Roosevelt aircraft carrier left San Diego on 27 September and is crossing the Indo-Pacific. Its strike group could join US Central Command forces in November, adding fighter aircraft, missile destroyers and thousands of military personnel to the deployment.
The reinforcement comes ahead of the US midterm elections on 3 November, amid continuing tensions with Iran. US officials have warned their allies that Tehran could retaliate against energy infrastructure and other strategic facilities in the event of further US strikes. President Donald Trump has not yet made a decision on possible military action.
Meanwhile, Iranian and Qatari representatives continued discussions in Doha on Sunday for a third consecutive day, seeking to establish a framework to end eight months of conflict and address the crisis around the Strait of Hormuz. Iran says it is ready for both diplomacy and a military confrontation.
The announcement comes amid a series of diplomatic and military tensions with Iran. On 1 November, talks between Washington and Tehran were described as deadlocked, while Iran demanded acceptance of its seven conditions before any nuclear negotiations.
