US Sends Third Aircraft Carrier Toward Iran as Buildup Grows
USS Theodore Roosevelt and 2,000 Marines leave San Diego; officials say regional force could exceed 60,000
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File photo: USS Theodore Roosevelt at sea. Photo: U.S. Navy / Department of Defense, Public Domain Mark 1.0, via Flickr
The United States is sending a third aircraft carrier strike group toward waters near Iran, a US official told Al Jazeera, in what officials describe as the largest American naval buildup in the Middle East since the 2003 invasion of Iraq.
What is deploying
According to the official, the USS Theodore Roosevelt carrier strike group left San Diego on Sunday bound for the region. A day later, the Makin Island Marine Expeditionary Unit followed, carrying more than 2,000 Marines. Euronews, citing US officials and Associated Press estimates, reported that the combined reinforcement totals roughly 9,000 to 10,000 additional troops, with arrivals expected by the end of November.
The Theodore Roosevelt, a Nimitz-class nuclear-powered carrier and flagship of Carrier Strike Group 9, is accompanied by the guided-missile cruiser USS Chosin and destroyer squadrons, with Carrier Air Wing 11 embarked, including F-35C and F/A-18 Super Hornet aircraft, Euronews reported. The amphibious group includes the USS John P. Murtha and USS Anchorage.
Force levels in the region
Al Jazeera said the new deployment adds thousands of troops and extra air power on top of roughly 50,000 US service members already stationed in the Middle East. By the end of November, the US official told the network, three carrier strike groups and two amphibious ready groups are expected to be positioned around Iran.
The USS George H.W. Bush and USS George Washington are currently operating in the Arabian Sea against Iran, according to reporting summarised by Euronews from the US Naval Institute. The Navy has maintained a two-carrier presence since the US and Israel launched strikes on Iran on 28 February. Theodore Roosevelt is scheduled to relieve George Washington, USNI News said; if the two overlap, it would briefly restore a three-carrier posture last seen in April — the first such deployment since 2003.
Pressure and diplomacy
A US official told Al Jazeera the concentration of force would give President Donald Trump "many options for dealing with Iran." Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has said forces are "ready to go" should Trump order new strikes, according to Al Jazeera's Washington reporting.
Trump has not ruled out renewed strikes as November midterm elections approach. Parallel diplomacy remains stalled: Tehran's seven-day Hormuz roadmap, conveyed through Qatar, was rejected by Trump, while Washington continues to press for nuclear issues to be included in any package. Shipping risks in and around the Strait of Hormuz have continued amid the standoff.
Reporting is based on accounts from Al Jazeera, Euronews and Associated Press. Casualty figures and operational claims from other recent regional fighting were not independently verified for this article.
