Third US Aircraft Carrier Heads Towards Iran as War Enters Eighth Month

The United States is deploying a third aircraft carrier to waters around Iran as the war enters its eighth month, according to a US official who spoke to Al Jazeera.

The official said the USS Theodore Roosevelt carrier strike group left its base in San Diego on Sunday and is heading towards the Middle East. A day later, the Makin Island Marine Expeditionary Force, carrying more than 2,000 Marines, also departed for the region.

By the end of November, the US is expected to have three aircraft carriers and two amphibious landing groups positioned around Iran.

The deployment will add thousands of troops and additional air power, including F-35 fighter jets, to the approximately 50,000 US service members already stationed in the region.

According to Al Jazeera correspondent Tanya Noury, sources in the Pentagon and White House said the buildup is intended to keep military options available to President Donald Trump regardless of the outcome of diplomatic efforts. The Pentagon reportedly does not plan to withdraw its forces even if an agreement with Iran is reached.

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has said American forces are “ready to go” if Trump orders further strikes.

Trump has also continued to speak about the possibility of renewed military action, while saying he believes the US will “win the war” with Iran soon.

Diplomatic Efforts Continue

The military buildup comes alongside diplomatic efforts. Iran has proposed a seven-day roadmap, conveyed through Qatar, that would involve reopening the Strait of Hormuz and resuming nuclear negotiations in exchange for an end to the US naval blockade, sanctions relief and a regional ceasefire covering Lebanon and Yemen.

Trump rejected the proposal, while US Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz said demands for frozen Iranian funds and sanctions relief were not acceptable to Washington.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran was fully prepared to resume the war but later stated that Iran had gone to New York to pursue peace rather than war.

The developments come amid growing concerns over a possible escalation, as Washington strengthens its military presence while diplomatic efforts between the two sides remain unresolved.