Second US carrier strike group heads to Middle East in Iran standoff
Newsy
The U.S. will deploy the USS Gerald R. Ford to the Middle East, doubling carrier presence as tensions with Iran rise and talks stall.
The United States will send the world's largest aircraft carrier to the Middle East to back up another already there, a person familiar with the plans said Friday, putting more American firepower behind President Donald Trump's efforts to coerce Iran into a deal over its nuclear program.
The USS Gerald R. Ford's planned deployment to the Mideast comes after Trump only days earlier suggested another round of talks with the Iranians was at hand. Those negotiations didn't materialize as one of Tehran's top security officials visited Oman and Qatar this week and exchanged messages with the U.S. intermediaries.
RELATED STORY | Trump warns of 'very traumatic' outcome for Iran if no nuclear deal is reached
Already, Gulf Arab nations have warned any attack could spiral into another regional conflict in a Mideast still reeling from the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip. Meanwhile, Iranians are beginning to hold 40-day mourning ceremonies for the thousands killed in Tehran's bloody crackdown on nationwide protests last month, adding to the internal pressure faced by the sanctions-battered Islamic Republic.
The Ford's deployment, first reported by The New York Times, will put two carriers and their accompanying warships in the region. Already, the USS Abraham Lincoln and its accompanying guided-missile destroyers are in the Arabian Sea.
The first year of President Trump's push to arrest and deport undocumented immigrants was a financial boon for two companies that own and operate private detention centers.
Hundreds of thousands of federal employees continue to work without pay during the partial government shutdown, as lawmakers remain at a stalemate over funding for the Department of Homeland Security.
The Trump administration is turning its attention to the Middle East this week, with another round of high-profile meetings between U.S. and Iranian officials set to take place in Switzerland.
Tyler Reddick won the Daytona 500 in a car owned by Michael Jordan when Chase Elliott crashed as he and Reddick were battling for the win.
This direct primary care trend offers convenience, predictability, and stronger doctor-patient relationships.
Investigators say a glove found near Nancy Guthrie’s home matches those worn by a masked figure seen on her front porch before she vanished.
Rubio reassures Europe at Munich, pledging lasting U.S. ties but urging reforms, a softer contrast to past Trump-era rhetoric toward allies.
The Pima County Sheriff’s Office is searching a residence about two miles from Nancy Guthrie’s Tucson-area home in connection with her disappearance.
Parents of Parkland students are advocating for reforms to improve school safety as they encourage others to remember the students and staff killed eight years ago.
A top New Mexico official is calling for an investigation into public land near Jeffrey Epstein’s Zorro Ranch after a newly released email alleged that two foreign girls were buried there.
Inflation eased to 2.4% in January, the lowest in 8 months, raising speculation the Fed may revisit its steady interest rate stance in March.
The U.S. will deploy the USS Gerald R. Ford to the Middle East, doubling carrier presence as tensions with Iran rise and talks stall.
At a hearing Thursday, Wisconsin Sen. Ron Johnson pressed Minnesota's Attorney General Keith Ellison for encouraging tragedy in the recent deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti.