Three U.S. Aircraft Carrier Battle Groups Will Soon Be Near Iran's Shores

The American aircraft carrier John C. Stennis, in the North Arabian Sea, is carrying out its normal operations after Iran warned the ship not to re-enter the Persian Gulf. Tyler Hicks/The New York Times

Two U.S. Aircraft Carriers Near Iran, With A Third On The Way -- The Danger Room

How’s this for timing: by accident of Navy schedules, the U.S. military now has two aircraft carrier battle groups near Iran’s shores, with a third on her way, right as a bomb killed an Iranian nuclear scientist and Iran threatens to close off a key waterway. But while there was just one carrier in the region for weeks, the Pentagon insists that its ship movements aren’t a response to Tehran’s recent bellicosity.

The U.S.S. Carl Vinson has linked up with the Navy’s Fifth Fleet, and is somewhere in the northern Arabian Sea. It’ll replace the U.S.S. John C. Stennis, which recently sailed out of the Strait of Hormuz, the water lane through which 20 percent of the world’s oil passes — and which Iran is rattling its saber about closing to protest new sanctions.

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Update #1: U.S. military moves carriers, denies Iran link -- Reuters
Update #2: U.S. Naval Carrier Strike Group Arrives in Arabian Sea as Tensions Rise With Iran -- FOX News

My Comment: Talk about coincidences .... 3 US carrier battle groups at (or soon to be near) the Iranian coastline .... yup .... talk about timing. Rotations are normal for these carrier groups, and (maybe) we should not read too much into this deployment. But for the Iranian military chiefs and their political masters .... they are probably wondering if this is deliberate .... and not bad timing as some are now hinting.