US Deploys USS Nimitz to Middle East Amid Iran-Israel Conflict

The U.S. Navy's aircraft carrier USS Nimitz has redirected from the South China Sea toward the Middle East, canceling a planned port call in Danang City, Vietnam, due to an emergent operational requirement. This redeployment coincides with escalating hostilities between Israel and Iran, now in their fourth day, involving missile strikes and air attacks that have resulted in civilian casualties and the death of a senior Iranian military officer. The U.S. is repositioning military assets, including over 30 aerial-refueling tankers crossing the Atlantic, to safeguard personnel and prepare for potential escalation amid the intensifying conflict. The Nimitz had recently completed maritime security operations in the Indo-Pacific as part of routine U.S. naval presence before the urgent reassignment. The rising conflict has sparked regional alarm, with neighboring countries on high alert and global powers monitoring the situation closely due to the risk of broader war and disruption of vital shipping lanes. U.S. officials have denied direct involvement in Israeli airstrikes, emphasizing that support for Israel is limited to defensive measures.