As the conflict between Israel and Iran enters its fourth day, escalating fears of a full-blown regional war have prompted the U.S. to redeploy assets, including a powerful aircraft carrier, to the Middle East.
The USS Nimitz, a U.S. aircraft carrier, departed the South China Sea on Monday morning, heading westward, according to ship tracking data from Marine Traffic.
The Nimitz’s planned port visit to Da Nang, Vietnam, later this week, has been abruptly canceled due to an “emergent operational requirement,” according to Reuters.
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Further raising alarm, the U.S. Air Force has reportedly begun broadcasting encrypted nuclear Emergency Action Message (EAM) codes. While the specific content remains undisclosed, the unusual length of these transmissions – significantly longer than typical EAMs – has fueled speculation of a shift in the global strategic landscape and heightened fears of an all-out war.
These developments closely follow a warning issued by President Donald Trump to Iran. The President cautioned Tehran that if the U.S. is “attacked in any way, shape or form” by Iran, then “the full strength and might of the US Armed Forces will come down on you at levels never seen before,” a statement accompanied by a foreboding warning of World War III.
Hours after President Trump’s declaration, the U.S. embassy in Tel Aviv sustained damage from a new series of Iranian strikes on Israeli cities overnight. Early Monday, missile attacks triggered air raid sirens nationwide, with emergency services reporting at least five fatalities and numerous injuries.
Powerful blasts rocked Tel Aviv just before sunrise, believed to be the result of Israel’s defense systems intercepting Iranian missiles. Thick columns of black smoke were visible rising into the sky above the coastal city.
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Israeli authorities have stressed that civilians are directly in the crosshairs of these recent attacks. Police spokesman Dean Elsdunne, speaking outside a destroyed building in Petah Tikva, stated, “We clearly see that our civilians are being targeted,” adding, “And this is just one scene. We have other sites like this near the coast, in the south.”
Despite the ongoing Iranian assaults, Israel has asserted a significant advantage in the conflict. On its fourth day, Israel claims to have gained “aerial superiority” over Tehran, boasting the capability to fly above the Iranian capital without significant resistance. Following concentrated offensives against Iranian air defenses and missile systems, Israeli forces announced their dominance across the skies from western Iran to Tehran, claiming the destruction of over 120 surface-to-surface missile launchers – reportedly representing a third of Iran’s arsenal used to target Israel throughout the night.
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“Now we can say that we have achieved full air supremacy in the Tehran airspace,” proclaimed military spokesperson Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin.
For its part, Iran confirmed firing approximately 100 missiles and has promised continued reprisals for Israel’s extensive bombardments on its military assets and nuclear establishments.
The human toll of this escalating conflict is grim. The attacks have inflicted at least 224 fatalities within Iran since last Friday. Meanwhile, Israel acknowledges 24 deaths and over 500 injuries from more than 370 missiles and an onslaught of drones launched by Iran.
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