USS Gerald R. Ford Heads Toward Israel Amid Rising U.S.–Iran Tensions

The United States’ largest aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald R. Ford, is heading toward Israel and is expected to enter Israeli waters soon.

On Thursday, the carrier departed from Greece en route to the port of Haifa in Israel. According to the latest reports, the warship is advancing at full speed. Earlier this week, on Tuesday, the vessel docked at Souda Bay naval base on the Greek island of Crete before setting course for Israel. The carrier is equipped with advanced combat systems and aircraft.

Following a surge in tensions between the United States and Iran, President Donald Trump reportedly ordered the Gerald R. Ford to move from the Caribbean region to the Middle East.

Prior to the Ford’s deployment, another U.S. aircraft carrier, the USS Abraham Lincoln, had already arrived in the Middle East, accompanied by at least a dozen additional warships. Iran is said to view the presence of the carrier strike group as a direct threat.

Meanwhile, the United States and Iran have entered a third round of indirect talks over a potential nuclear agreement. However, ahead of the negotiations, Washington issued stern warnings to Tehran.

According to a Reuters report published Thursday, senior officials in the Trump administration described Iran as a significant threat to the United States ahead of the scheduled nuclear discussions in Geneva.

In his State of the Union address, President Trump accused Iran of attempting to restart its nuclear program. He claimed that Tehran is working to develop missiles capable of reaching the United States “very soon.” He also blamed Iran for attacks on U.S. military personnel and civilians in the Middle East.

Trump warned that failure to reach an agreement would result in “very bad days” for Iran. In response, Tehran stated that if attacked, it would target American bases across the region.

Separately, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, speaking to reporters during a visit to Saint Kitts and Nevis, said Iran is attempting to rebuild its nuclear program. While Iran is not currently enriching uranium, he claimed it is moving toward that capability. Rubio also asserted that Iran possesses a large number of ballistic missiles capable of reaching much of Europe.

He added that Tehran’s refusal to discuss its ballistic missile program in the Geneva talks remains a major obstacle but expressed hope that the discussions could still lead to progress.

The developments underscore escalating geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, as military deployments and diplomatic negotiations unfold simultaneously.