What You Need to Know: The USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72) has left the Middle East, marking only the second time in over a year that no U.S. Navy aircraft carriers are present in the region.

-The USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70) has deployed to the Pacific, while the USS Harry S. Truman (CVN-75) may head to the Middle East after completing NATO exercises in the Arctic and Mediterranean.

-Despite the absence of carriers, the U.S. has bolstered its presence with B-52 bombers, F-16s, F-22s, A-10s, and the amphibious assault ship USS Wasp (LHD-1).

-Additionally, the USS Georgia (SSGN-729) submarine remains in the region, ensuring significant firepower to counter threats from Iran and its proxies.

The United States Navy announced on Monday that the Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group departed from the Middle East and entered the U.S. 7th Fleet of operations, USNI News first reported.

It is just the second time in more than a year that the U.S. Navy has had no carriers operating in the Middle East. The first time was briefly in June when USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69)........

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