The US is preparing to deploy a third aircraft carrier to the Mideast for strikes on Iran, media reports said on Friday.
The US Navy USS George H.W. Bush aircraft carrier has completed preparations to leave for the Eastern Mediterranean, according to Fox News.
The ship, which finalized its preparations off the coast of North Carolina's Hatteras Island, is expected to embark soon.
The aircraft carrier boasts dozens of strike aircraft and will be accompanied by guided-missile destroyers.
The USS Gerald R. Ford is currently operating in the Red Sea, while the USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72) aircraft carrier is active in the Sea of Oman.
Tensions in the Middle East have escalated since last weekend, when the US and Israel launched large-scale attacks against Iran, killing more than 1,000 people, including Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, over 150 schoolgirls, and senior military officials.
Iran has retaliated with sweeping barrages that have targeted US bases, diplomatic facilities, and military personnel across the region, as well as multiple Israeli cities.
