The buildup follows September 5 attacks by Iran using Qasem Basir anti-ship ballistic missiles with a 1,200 km range, which allegedly forced warships to pull back 500 km from the Strait of Hormuz. While satellite imagery suggests carriers were absent from the primary blockade line for 26 days, US Central Command reports it has redirected more than 100 commercial vessels to sustain operations. Some analysis indicates the new assets may primarily replace ships currently on station rather than simply adding to the fleet.
Wednesday, October 21, 2026
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US Deploys 3 Aircraft Carriers Near Iran in Rare Buildup Since 2003
War20 days ago
The USS Theodore Roosevelt sailed from San Diego on September 27 to expand US naval firepower in the Persian Gulf and Arabian Sea. Along with a second Marine division, the carrier and its strike group will join the USS George Washington and USS George H.W. Bush in the region by the end of November. A senior US official stated that deploying three aircraft carriers and two amphibious groups simultaneously in the area is the first such instance since April and only the second since 2003.
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