US deploys world’s largest aircraft carrier to Middle East. Is Trump planning military action against Iran?

The US is sending USS Gerald R. Ford, the world’s largest aircraft carrier to the Middle East, whereUSS Abraham Lincolnis already stationed. America iscreating a "dual carrier" presence.It seems like Donald Trump’s strategy to persuade Iran into a deal over its nuclear programme, which may potentially extend to its missile programme as well. A day after hosting Israeli President Netanyahu, Trump told reporters, "We have to make a deal, otherwise it's going to be very traumatic, very traumatic. I don't want that to happen, but we have to make a deal. This will be very traumatic for Iran if they don't make a deal."

The deployment of the largest warship ever constructed comes after the US president’s sharp comments. Last year in July, US which was brokering peace between the warring nations, struck Iran and also caused damage to its nuclear facilities. Referring to the talks and deal, he added, "We'll see if we can get a deal with them, and if we can't, we'll have to go to phase two. Phase two will be very tough for them.”

Also read: Iranian nuclear programme degraded by up to two years, says Pentagon

Phase 1: July 2025

US President Donald Trump announces a ceasefire between Israel and Iran. This comes on a day after America struck nuclear facilities in Iran and hours after Iran struck a US base, al-Udeid in Qatar. After conducting airstrikes in Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan, Trump said, “Our objective was the destruction of Iran’s nuclear enrichment capacity, a stop to the nuclear threat posed by the world’s number one state sponsor of terror.” Sharing visuals of US’ B-2 bombers returning home after striking Iranian nuclear sites in Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan, President Donald Trump called the damage caused to the sites ‘monumental’. He lauded the soldiers and thanked them for the ‘job well done’.