The United States has plenty of naval firepower in the Middle East as the Iran conflict rages on. We have the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier strike group in the Arabian Sea/Gulf of Oman region, and the USS Gerald R. Ford is in the Red Sea.

We’ve seen what such incredible firepower these groups are capable of during Operation Epic Fury, which has basically decapitated the entire murderous regime of the Islamic Republic. (They didn’t do it alone, of course; the Israelis worked in concert with America with their Operation Roaring Lion, and some of our strikes came from long-range bombers and U.S. bases in the region).

It was already the largest naval force we’ve had in the region in decades, and now it could get even bigger with the USS George H.W. Bush group reportedly preparing to ship out:

NEW: The U.S. is preparing to send a third aircraft carrier (USS George H.W. Bush) to the Middle East.

Two carriers are already there: USS Abraham Lincoln and USS Gerald R. Ford.

This would put three nuclear supercarriers in the region at once. pic.twitter.com/P01wtPeMv2

— Clash Report (@clashreport) March 7, 2026

Although an exact arrival date has not been revealed, it's estimated that it would take 10-12 days for the group to sail from Norfolk, Virginia, to the eastern Mediterranean.

The forces currently in place already mark the largest U.S. naval deployment in the Middle East since the Iraq War.

The Ford had to pass through operational exercises to make sure the group was battle-ready, which it has now done successfully:

The Bush recently completed the Composite Training Unit Exercise (COMPTUEX), which “brings together all elements of a carrier strike group to operate as a cohesive, multi-domain fighting force,” according to the US Navy. 

Like the Lincoln, the Bush is a Nimitz-class supercarrier.

The Ford group, meanwhile, arrived in the Red Sea on Saturday and is ready to take on the Yemeni terrorist group, the Houthis, should they carry through with their threats to join the conflict in support of Iran and attack vessels in the crucial shipping lane, the Strait of Hormuz.

On Thursday, the Ford carrier strike group, officially known as Carrier Strike Group 12, crossed the Suez Canal after docking in Haifa and is now positioned in the Red Sea, reportedly prepared to attack or defend should the Houthis attempt to join the ongoing war with Iran. 

It entered the Mediterranean after transiting the Strait of Gibraltar, a movement reported by multiple outlets tracking US naval deployments.

MORE: Trump: Iran Conflict Way Ahead of Schedule, Is 'Very Complete, Pretty Much'

Last Axis Hope: Houthis Now Ready to Hit US, Israel 'At Any Moment'

As you can see from the link above, RedState’s Ward Clark headlined his excellent article, “Houthis Now Ready to Hit US, Israel 'At Any Moment.’” 

Perhaps with the Ford carrier on the scene, we can write, “Houthis Now Ready to GET Hit by US, Israel 'At Any Moment.'”

Military analyst Ian Ellis Jones says this is the current lineup of our naval forces; of course, only the Pentagon knows for sure:

The U.S. Navy at war | Carrier update:

- George H.W. Bush CSG completed workups and is deploying soon to join the war against Iran, per @LucasFoxNews
- Gerald R. Ford CSG chopped into U.S. 5th Fleet/CENTCOM AOR (DVIDS)
- Abraham Lincoln CSG conducting 24/7 combat ops (DOW/PAO) pic.twitter.com/nxWL4vOCVk

— Ian Ellis (@ianellisjones) March 8, 2026

It’s unclear if the USS Gerald Ford will rotate out in April or May, because they’ve already been operating on an extended 11‑month deployment.

For a time at least, however, if all goes to plan, we will have three nuclear-powered supercarriers in the region, each leading a full Carrier Strike Group (CSG). My advice to the mullahs who are still breathing: now might be a real good time to surrender.

Editor's Note: For decades, former presidents have been all talk and no action. Now, Donald Trump is eliminating the threat from Iran once and for all.

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