The Pentagon is prepared to deploy a second aircraft carrier to the Middle East within two weeks amidst escalating US-Iran tensions, according to The Wall Street Journal. This deployment, although not yet officially ordered by US President Donald Trump, would mark a significant military buildup in the region.

• The second carrier would join the USS Abraham Lincoln, which is already in the region.
• The aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush, currently off the coast of Virginia, is a likely candidate for deployment.
• This would be the first time two US aircraft carriers have been in the Middle East simultaneously since March 2025.