USS Theodore Roosevelt
UPDATE 0531 GMT:
Saudi Arabia says Yemen’s Houthis attacked an electricity facility in the holy city of Medina.
The Houthis deny the claim.
In Yemen, Saudi-backed government forces say they are repelling a large-scale Houthi attack in the Taiz Governorate and inflicting heavy losses. They said they carried out 20 air attacks in three hours against Houthi movements, reinforcements, and military vehicles.
UPDATE 0522 GMT:
The US has deployed two extra Patriot missile defense system batteries to Saudi Arabia and Qatar for their oil and gas facilities, say “two US officials and one regional source”.
The batteries were delivered month.
Axios notes the US, needing to use Saudi airspace for renewed attacks on Iran, would likely be denied if the Saudis fear energy facilities are exposed to Iranian retaliation.
ORIGINAL ENTRY: The US is sending a third aircraft carrier strike group to the Middle East, as the Trump camp threatens a renewal of a full-scale War on Iran.
The Trump camp had three carrier strike groups in the Middle East in April, just before the ceasefire with Iran, for the first time since 2003.
The USS Theodore Roosevelt’s deployment also includes the USS Makin Island specialist amphibious attack group with two amphibious landing ships. There are more than 7,000 sailors and 2,000 Marines, bringing the US naval presence to more than 20,000 sailors and Marines and hundreds of aircraft.
The group could be in the Middle East by the end of October. It joins the carriers USS George HW Bush and the USS George Washington and the USS Boxer amphibious readiness group.
The George Washington, usually deployed to the Pacific Ocean, moved to the Middle East to relieve the USS Abraham Lincoln. The Lincoln had been at sea for more than 260 days, with deteriorating conditions leading to health issues and suicide attempts by the men aboard.
It is unknown if the Washington will return to the Pacific when the Roosevelt group arrives.
In a magazine interview on Thursday, Donald Trump repeated his declaration that he might escalate bombing of Iran after mid-term elections on November 3.
