US bolsters Middle East presence with second carrier deployment

• Second aircraft carrier in the Middle East: The Pentagon announced that the aircraft carrier Harry S. Truman will be joined by the Carl Vinson, which is currently in the Indo-Pacific region. The goal is to protect trade routes and promote regional stability.
• Strengthening air forces: U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced the deployment of additional combat aircraft to the Middle East to enhance U.S. military capabilities.
• Relocation of B-2 bombers: At least four B-2 bombers have been relocated to a military base on Diego Garcia Island, allowing for rapid deployment to Yemen or Iran.

The United States has decided to deploy a second aircraft carrier to the Middle East to bolster its military presence in the region. The Carl Vinson will join the Harry S. Truman in the Middle East "to continue promoting regional stability, deter aggression, and protect the free flow of commerce in the region," wrote Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell in a statement quoted by AFP. This decision is a response to increasing tensions and the necessity to protect critical trade routes.

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced further enhancement of air forces in the Middle East. Secretary Hegseth asserts that if Iran or its proxies threaten American personnel and interests in the region, the United States will take decisive actions to defend the nation, as stated by Parnell and quoted by Reuters. As part of these actions, at least four B-2 bombers have been relocated to the base on Diego Garcia Island.

The B-2 bombers, capable of carrying nuclear weapons, are a strategic component of the U.S. air forces. The U.S. Air Force has 20 of these aircraft.

In October of last year, the administration of former President Joe Biden utilized these bombers in a campaign against the Houthis in Yemen.