The USS Gerald R Ford's planned deployment to the Middle East comes just days after US president Mr Trump suggested another round of talks with the Iranians was at hand. Already, Gulf Arab nations have warned any attack could spiral into another regional conflict in a Middle East still reeling from the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip. On Thursday, Mr Trump warned Iran that failure to reach a deal with his administration would be "very traumatic". Mr Trump told Axios earlier this week that he was considering sending a second carrier strike group to the Middle East. While it is unclear how long the ship will remain in the Middle East, the move sets the crew up for a long deployment.

Source: Irish Independent February 13, 2026 13:44 UTC