The ‘Roosevelt’ carrier strike group sets off for the Middle East — the U.S. prepares three carriers around Iran

The ‘Roosevelt’ aircraft carrier strike group has set off from the San Diego base towards the Middle East, a U.S. official told Al Jazeera Arabic.

The move marks the start of the largest U.S. naval deployment in the region since the start of the war with Iran.

According to the official, the ‘Makin Island’ Marine Expeditionary Force, with more than 2,000 marines on board, also set off on Monday.

The plan envisages that by the end of November three aircraft carriers and two landing groups will be deployed around Iran. “With all this power concentrated in the Middle East, leaders will have many options for dealing with Iran,” the official is quoted as saying by Al Jazeera.

The deployment comes at a moment when indirect talks on reopening the Strait of Hormuz have stalled and after President Trump again threatened new attacks. Tensions in the Persian Gulf have reached their highest level in recent weeks, with continuous attacks on merchant ships and with the U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ports, as Al Jazeera has also reported earlier.