Hormuz is Being Blocked: US Aircraft Carriers Approach Iran's Shores

According to a summary by USNI, a group of 14 American naval ships is deployed in the Arabian Sea, including the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln along with its strike group. On April 13, the day the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz began, the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier, as well as the USS Spruance and USS Petersen escort minesweepers, were in the region.

Additionally, an amphibious group is present, which includes the USS Tripoli, the USS New Orleans amphibious transport dock, and the USS Rushmore amphibious dock landing ship. Apart from these groups, eight escort minesweepers are also independently operating in the Arabian Sea. Among them is the USS Murphy, which, along with Peterson, conducted a mine-clearing mission through the Strait of Hormuz on April 11.

According to USNI, the USS George HW Bush aircraft carrier is expected to join these forces soon. As of April 11, the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier and the two accompanying ships were positioned on the boundary of the Gulf of Oman, 200 km away from Iran's shores. Since the start of military operations in the Middle East, this is the closest positioning of aircraft carriers to Iranian territory.