Washington: The United States has confirmed the imminent arrival of its second aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald R. Ford, in the Middle East, expected within an eight-day timeframe.

According to National Iraqi News Agency, US media outlets have reported that military officials issued orders for the USS Gerald R. Ford carrier strike group and its accompanying warships to proceed immediately to the Middle East. The deployment is anticipated to take approximately six to eight days to reach the eastern Mediterranean or 14 to 18 days to reach the Arabian Gulf.