An Iranian bulk carrier carrying rice has arrived in Iran after transiting the Sea of Oman, with Iranian authorities claiming the vessel was escorted by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy amid an attempted interception by the US Navy.

China's first Type 076 amphibious assault ship, the Sichuan, has departed Shanghai for the South China Sea for routine cross-regional trials and training, following multiple earlier sea trials and in line with its planned development schedule, the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy said on Tuesday.

The USS Gerald R. Ford, the world's largest aircraft carrier involved in Middle East war operations, arrived in the Croatian city of Split on Saturday, according to a statement from the US embassy.

Iran has warned that the logistics and support facilities enabling the USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78) aircraft carrier to operate could become targets, according to a senior Iranian military spokesperson.

Türkiye has deployed F-16 fighter jets to Northern Cyprus, while France has sent its aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle toward the Middle East amid rising regional tensions. The developments come as military activity increases across the Eastern Mediterranean, with several countries reinforcing their naval and air presence.

The United States will deploy a third aircraft carrier to the Middle East as the conflict with Iran continues.

The U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) has released footage showing a strike on an Iranian Navy aircraft carrier.

The Russian LNG carrier Arctic Metagaz, under multiple Western sanctions, caught fire in the Mediterranean Sea, reports say.

French President Emmanuel Macron stated that in recent hours, France deployed Rafale fighter jets, anti-air systems, and air radars to intercept missiles and drones.

When the USS Gerald R. Ford entered the Eastern Mediterranean and approached the Israeli coast, the initial interpretation among analysts was familiar: deterrence. The deployment of the most advanced aircraft carrier in the U.S. Navy was seen as a calibrated signal meant to prevent escalation rather than trigger it. However, the sequence of events quickly altered that perception.