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The United States is sending the aircraft carrier USS George Washington toward the Middle East to replace the USS Abraham Lincoln, which has been deployed in the region for more than eight months amid the ongoing conflict with Iran.
The George Washington recently left Da Nang, Vietnam, and has been moving west through the Strait of Malacca toward the Indian Ocean and, ultimately, the Middle East.
A US Navy official confirmed the carrier’s movement.
The deployment comes as concerns have grown over the prolonged mission of the Abraham Lincoln.
The carrier has spent more than 260 days at sea, with reports of supply shortages, deteriorating morale and mental-health concerns among its crew.
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has rejected reports that conditions aboard the ship have been seriously misrepresented.
The rotation was reportedly planned in advance, rather than being ordered solely in response to the concerns surrounding the Lincoln.
The Abraham Lincoln has played a major role in US military operations against Iran and in the blockade of Iranian ports.
The move will maintain a significant US naval presence in the Middle East while allowing the long-deployed Lincoln and its crew to return home.
