ISTANBUL

The USS George H.W. Bush aircraft carrier departed Tuesday from Naval Station Norfolk in the state of Virginia for a "scheduled deployment," according to US Fleet Forces.

The US Fleet Forces did not specify the destination of the Nimitz-class carrier, the flagship of the George H.W. Bush Carrier Strike Group.

The Wall Street Journal reported, citing US officials, that the warships are headed to the Middle East, where they would join the USS Abraham Lincoln and USS Gerald R. Ford carrier strike groups, potentially giving the US three carriers in the region.

ABC News reported Saturday, also citing US officials, that the strike group left Norfolk last week, an account that conflicts with Tuesday's Navy announcement.

Stretching 1,092 feet (333 meters) and displacing more than 100,000 tons, the USS George H.W. Bush is powered by two nuclear reactors and can reportedly operate for more than 20 years without refueling.

The Bush's deployment may effectively replace the USS Gerald R. Ford, which arrived in the Croatian port city of Split after transiting from Souda Bay, Greece, where it underwent resupply, refueling, and repairs.

The Ford, the largest carrier in the US fleet, had been operating in the Red Sea as part of joint US-Israeli strikes on Iran. Maintenance teams at Souda Bay carried out assessments and continued investigating a fire that broke out in the ship’s laundry facilities on March 12.

The USS Abraham Lincoln is currently operating in the Arabian Sea, according to the Wall Street Journal.

The deployment comes as the US and Israel continue strikes on Iran that began Feb. 28, killing more than 1,340 people, including then-Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Iran has retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel, Jordan, Iraq, and Gulf countries hosting US military assets, causing casualties and infrastructure damage while disrupting global markets and aviation.