Two U.S. maritime surveillance planes and two helicopters linked to the USS Nimitz were tracked flying over the Strait of Hormuz Thursday, signaling the carrier’s presence as it sailed close to Iran.
Satellite imagery earlier this week showed the aircraft carrier anchored in the Persian Gulf off the United Arab Emirates, amid the Navy’s continuing operations in the Middle East.
Newsweek has reached out to the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) for comment.
Why It Matters
The nuclear-powered Nimitz was rerouted to the Middle East in June amid rising tensions with Iran, triggering a 12-day conflict. Israel and the U.S. struck Iran’s nuclear facilities, while Tehran launched missiles at Israel and a major U.S. base in Qatar. The attacks failed to bring Iran to the negotiating table over its ambitious nuclear program, alarming Western powers and raising the risk of further clashes.
A screenshot from the flight-tracking website ADS-B Exchange on September 18, 2025, shows two U.S. Navy P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft and two MH-60S Seahawk support helicopters—possibly launched from the “USS Nimitz” aircraft carrier—flying sorties…
A screenshot from the flight-tracking website ADS-B Exchange on September 18, 2025, shows two U.S. Navy P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft and two MH-60S Seahawk support helicopters—possibly launched from the “USS Nimitz” aircraft carrier—flying sorties in the Strait of Hormuz.
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ADS-B Exchange
The U.S. continues to support Israel and relies on Gulf partners to counter Iran’s influence, but is now navigating potentially tense relations after Israel targeted a senior Hamas delegation, striking the Qatari capital Doha, which has also hosted U.S. and Israeli mediators working to negotiate a Gaza ceasefire.
An image captured by the European Space Agency’s Sentinel-2 satellites on September 15, 2025, shows the U.S. Navy aircraft carrier “USS Nimitz” docked at the Jebel Ali port in Dubai.
An image captured by the European Space Agency’s Sentinel-2 satellites on September 15, 2025, shows the U.S. Navy aircraft carrier “USS Nimitz” docked at the Jebel Ali port in Dubai.
Copernicus
What To Know
The Nimitz has been operating in the Arabian Sea, the Gulf of Oman, the Persian Gulf, and was spotted for a port visit in Dubai on Monday.
The aircraft carrier was recently restocked with supplies while operating in the Middle East.
The Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68) conducts a replenishment-at-sea with the Lewis and Clark-class dry cargo ship USNS Cesar Chavez (T-AKE 6) in the U.S. Central Command area of…
The vessel has been conducting flight operations in September under the U.S. 5th Fleet, which oversees roughly 2.5 million square miles of waters, including the Persian Gulf, Gulf of Oman, Red Sea, parts of the Indian Ocean, and three key choke points: the Strait of Hormuz, Suez Canal, and Strait of Bab al-Mandeb, which face threats from Iran and Houthi forces in Yemen, which Tehran back.
Within this vast area, the U.S. 5th Fleet recently hosted Kuwaiti naval commanders aboard the Nimitz in the northern Persian Gulf, which the U.S. administration refers to as the Arabian Gulf, on September 8, to discuss maritime security and regional cooperation, according to the Navy.
What People Are Saying
U.S. Naval Institute News wrote on Monday: “The Nimitz Carrier Strike Group is conducting routine operations in the Persian Gulf. The carrier is at anchor off the United Arab Emirates, according to the service.”
U.S. Naval Forces Central Command in Wednesday statement, after a U.S.-Kuwait meeting onboard the Nimitz: “The leaders discussed the continued commitment by both nations to ensuring maritime security in the Northern Arabian Gulf and ongoing joint efforts to increase capacity and capability in furtherance of regional stability.”
Senior Iranian army official General Ahmad Reza Pourdastan told local media: “I can assure you that if the enemy tries to make a move, it will face a crushing and regrettable response.”
What Happens Next
The Nimitz, the Navy’s oldest active carrier, is slated for decommissioning in 2026, to be succeeded by the nuclear-powered USS Gerald R. Ford.