Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia – The United States Department of Defense has reportedly instructed a second carrier strike group to prepare for a possible deployment to the Middle East. This step was taken in line with Washington’s increasing military pressure on Tehran amidst the ongoing nuclear program negotiations, as reported by Wall Street Journal.
Three United States officials revealed on Wednesday (11/2/2026) that these preparations were part of a contingency plan for a potential attack on Iran if diplomatic efforts failed. United States President Donald Trump has not yet issued an official order, and officials warned that plans could still change at any time.
An official said the deployment order could come within hours. Another official said the Pentagon was preparing the carrier to deploy in about two weeks, possibly from the East Coast of the United States. The aircraft carrier USS George HW Bush is currently completing exercises off the coast of Virginia and could accelerate those exercises if ordered to move more quickly.
If approved, this second aircraft carrier would join the USS Abraham Lincoln already operating in the region as part of a broader strengthening of the United States military. This increase in strength includes additional warships, air defense systems, and fighter jet squadrons.
President Trump publicly acknowledged on Tuesday that he was considering sending another aircraft carrier to the region.
“We have a fleet that is heading there and another fleet will probably follow,” Trump said, adding that Washington would have to do something very tough if negotiations failed.
The United States President also held a closed-door meeting on Wednesday with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House to discuss the Iran issue. After the meeting, Trump provided a statement via the social media platform Truth Social regarding his diplomatic position.
“I urge that negotiations with Iran continue to see whether an agreement can be reached or not. If it can be, that will be a priority. If it can’t, we’ll see how it turns out,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social account.
To date, details regarding a potential second round of indirect talks between the United States and Iran have not been finalized. Officials from the two countries met in Oman last week in their first negotiations since Israel and the United States attacked Iran’s nuclear facilities last year.
On the other hand, Iran has repeatedly emphasized that it will not completely give up the right to enrich uranium and has closed the door to negotiations regarding its ballistic missile program. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi issued a stern warning that any new attacks from the United States would trigger retaliation against American military bases across the Middle East.
(tps/luc)
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date:2026-02-12 15:00:00