Micah Jonah
February 13, 2026
The United States is deploying a second aircraft carrier to the Middle East amid escalating tensions with Iran, according to U.S. media reports. The USS USS Gerald R. Ford and its escort ships are being sent from the Caribbean, following earlier deployments in January.
President Donald Trump had indicated earlier this week that he was considering a second deployment if a deal with Iran was not reached. The first carrier, the USS USS Abraham Lincoln, along with guided-missile destroyers, arrived in the region in January.
Trump emphasized the need for a diplomatic resolution, saying, “We have to make a deal, otherwise it’s going to be very traumatic, very traumatic.”
Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu welcomed the deployment as potentially creating conditions for a deal that could avoid military confrontation.
No official comment has yet been provided by the White House or the Pentagon outside regular business hours.
