US Naval Forces Prepare For Possible Renewed Strikes Against Iran, Warships Rearming In Arabian Sea

ARABIAN SEA / WASHINGTON: U.S. naval forces are preparing for possible renewed strikes against Iran, with sailors loading munitions and readying aircraft aboard American warships, The Wall Street Journal reported on Saturday.

The preparations include the USS George Washington aircraft carrier strike group, as Washington considers further military action against the Islamic Republic.

 During a rare visit to a U.S. aircraft carrier and a guided-missile destroyer operating in the Arabian Sea, WSJ’s Shelby Holliday observed flight operations, as well as a significant replenishment of munitions and supplies, including a large delivery of standoff land attack missiles and bunker-buster bombs designed to penetrate hardened, underground targets.

U.S. officials familiar with the planning told the Journal that American warships in the Middle East are preparing for an escalation in fighting in case President Donald Trump opts for a fresh round of attacks against Iran in the coming weeks.

 Officials say these are the precise munitions needed to target Iran’s underground nuclear facilities and hardened military infrastructure.

Carrier Arrival Raises Stakes Near Strait of Hormuz:

 The USS George Washington carrier strike group arrived in the Middle East on August 20, 2026, to relieve the USS Abraham Lincoln, which had been deployed in the region for nearly nine months. U.S. Central Command said the move was part of a scheduled deployment to support maritime security and stability.

 The ship moved from the Indo-Pacific to the Arabian Sea near the Strait of Hormuz. Roughly 5,000 sailors are aboard as flight operations continue. Its commanding officer, Captain Nicholas DeLeo, has said Iranian forces tried to strike a variety of ships near the Strait of Hormuz and failed.

Buildup Expands:

 The USS George H.W. Bush is already in the region, while the USS Theodore Roosevelt departed San Diego on September 27 and is expected to eventually operate alongside the two other carriers in or near the region.

 If all three carrier strike groups operate simultaneously in the theater, U.S. officials estimate the combined force could include nearly 20,000 personnel, up to 150 fighter aircraft, and numerous guided-missile cruisers and destroyers.

 The Pentagon has also ordered the deployment of an additional 9,000 to 10,000 troops, with ships, jets and Marines expected to arrive by late November, according to U.S. officials. The U.S. already keeps more than 50,000 personnel in the region.

President Trump told aides he expects to resume bombing Iran in November and said in a recent interview that renewed bombing after the Nov. 3 U.S. midterm elections was possible if an agreement with Tehran was not reached. He said Iran’s latest ceasefire proposal was not sufficient.

No fresh U.S. offensive has been confirmed, and officials said the deployment itself does not mean a new offensive has been authorized.