The USS Nimitz abruptly left Vietnam and is believed to be heading to the Middle East [Getty]
The aircraft carrier USS Nimitz was leaving Southeast Asia on Monday after canceling a Vietnam visit, as the Pentagon announced it was sending “additional capabilities” to the Middle East amid a ramp up of the Iran-Israel conflict.
At 13:45 GMT, the carrier was traveling through the Malacca Strait toward the Indian Ocean, according to Marine Traffic, a ship-tracking site.
A Vietnamese government official confirmed to AFP that a planned reception aboard the USS Nimitz on June 20, as part of the ship’s expected June 19-23 visit to Danang, had been cancelled.
The official shared a letter from the US embassy announcing that the Defence Department was cancelling the event due to “an emergent operational requirement.”
The movement of one of the world’s largest warships came on day four of the escalating air war between Israel and Iran, with no end in sight despite international calls for de-escalation.
Hours after the US embassy letter, Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth announced the United States was reinforcing its military presence in the Middle East to enhance its “defensive posture.”
“Over the weekend, I directed the deployment of additional capabilities to the United States Central Command Area of Responsibility,” Hegseth posted on X.
“Protecting US forces is our top priority and these deployments are intended to enhance our defensive posture in the region.”
Israel’s strikes have so far killed at least 224 people, including top military commanders, nuclear scientists and civilians, according to Iranian authorities.
In retaliation, Iran said it had struck Israel with a salvo of missiles and warned of “effective, targeted and more devastating operations” to come.
US ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee on Monday said that Iran’s missile barrage had lightly damaged a building used by the American embassy in Tel Aviv.
With tensions high, US President Donald Trump issued an unspecified warning from the G7 summit in Canada where he is scheduled to remain until Tuesday.
“As soon as I leave here, we’re going to be doing something. But I have to leave here,” Trump told reporters.
Meanwhile open source intelligence analysts have taken to social media to post flight-tracking software grabs of about two dozen US Air Force air tankers taking off since Sunday and heading east over the Atlantic ocean.
Defence news and analysis website TWZ reported that the US tankers could be heading toward the Middle East to provide aerial refueling support for Israel’s air operations over Iran, or they could be positioning to provide an air bridge from the United States to the region.
