Satellite Images Show USS Nimitz Moving from South China Sea to Persian Gulf

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TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Amid escalating tensions between Israel and Iran, satellite images show that all U.S. Navy warships have left their main port in Bahrain.

This move is part of Washington's preparation to face the possibility of an attack on Iran, as reported by Newsweek on Wednesday, June 18, 2025, citing Anadolu.

According to open-source intelligence analysis, including Ian Ellis on the X platform, currently, there is at least one coastal combat ship, four mine countermeasure ships, and the special operations support ship M/V Ocean Trader operating within the area of responsibility of the U.S. Central Command.

US Navy Ship Movements Seen from Satellite

The departure of U.S. warships from the port in Bahrain signifies strategic repositioning to various key points in the Persian Gulf, the Strait of Hormuz, and the Gulf of Oman, vital areas within the U.S. Central Command's (CENTCOM) operational area, according to analysts interviewed by Newsweek.

It is also known that the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz was redirected from the South China Sea to the Middle East on Monday, June 15, 2025, increasing the number of U.S. aircraft carriers in the region to two, amid heightened tensions between Israel and Iran.

As a preventive measure, dozens of U.S. Air Force refueling aircraft were deployed to Europe over the past weekend to support potential operations in the Middle East, as reported by two defense officials cited by Politico.

A defense official informed Newsweek that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth had ordered the Nimitz aircraft carrier strike group to move to the CENTCOM area to strengthen defense and protect U.S. personnel in the region.

Based on tracking data from Marine Traffic, the USS Nimitz left the South China Sea on Monday and passed through the Malacca Strait heading west. The scheduled visit to the port of Da Nang, Vietnam, originally planned for June 20, was suddenly canceled.

According to officials, if necessary, the U.S. Navy may increase its presence by deploying the USS George Washington aircraft carrier from Japan.

U.S. fighter jets are now actively patrolling the Middle East region to protect troops and military facilities. Security has also been heightened at U.S. military bases in the region.

The number of U.S. troops in the Middle East has risen to around 40,000 personnel, from the usual number of about 30,000. This number previously peaked at 43,000 in October last year amid regional tensions following Hamas' attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, which was then responded to by the U.S. deploying a naval fleet to prevent escalation from groups such as Hezbollah and Iran.

The Pentagon has also extended deployments to Europe and the Middle East. Over 24 air refueling tankers, such as the KC-135 Stratotanker and the KC-46 Pegasus, departed from various U.S. bases on Sunday and Monday. They landed at bases in Spain, Germany, Greece, Italy, and Scotland. These tanker aircraft are crucial for supporting large-scale air operations.

A U.S. official stated that these deployments provide additional flexibility for commanders if U.S. installations face direct threats. Defense Secretary Hegseth confirmed on Monday that he had ordered the reinforcement of troops to the Middle East. In a television interview, he emphasized the readiness of the U.S., the defensive nature of these measures, and the commitment to protect U.S. citizens and interests.

The U.S. already has a significant military presence in the region. In the Arabian Sea, the USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier is accompanied by the USS Princeton cruiser and the USS Sterett, USS Milius, and USS Wayne E. Meyer destroyers. In the Red Sea, patrols are conducted by the USS Forrest Sherman and USS Truxtun destroyers, while the coastal combat ship USS Canberra has just arrived in Bahrain.

In the Mediterranean, three destroyers, USS Sullivan, USS Arleigh Burke, and USS Thomas Hudner, are also patrolling, with Hudner now moving closer to Israel following Iran's attack.

In the Indian Ocean, the U.S. strategic base in Diego Garcia has become a key element. Satellite images from May show that six B-2 stealth bombers and four B-52 bombers have been deployed there. These aircraft are capable of carrying the Massive Ordnance Penetrator, the most powerful conventional bomb to destroy underground targets, including nuclear facilities.

Meanwhile, open-source analysts report that nearly 30 U.S. air tankers have moved to Europe, indicating readiness to confront the potential large-scale aerial attacks, entangled in the Israel-Iran conflict.