US deploys third aircraft carrier group toward Middle East

WASHINGTON — The USS George H.W. Bush carrier strike group has departed Norfolk, Virginia, and is heading to the Middle East, ABC News reported Saturday, citing U.S. officials.The deployment could raise the number of U.S. aircraft carriers in the region to three amid the ongoing U.S.-Israeli war with Iran.The USS Gerald R. Ford and USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike groups are already deployed in support of U.S. operations in the Middle East.The USS Gerald R. Ford is currently in Crete undergoing repairs following a recent onboard fire, according to the report.