The USS George H.W. Bush carrier strike group deployed from Norfolk in late March 2026, transiting around Africa before entering the CENTCOM area of responsibility in late April to support U.S. operations tied to Iran, including enforcement of a naval blockade in the Strait of Hormuz and missions under Operation Epic Fury. It remained on station in the Arabian Sea through September, with public confirmation of its presence as recently as September 30. The carrier then departed the region without announcement from CENTCOM or 5th Fleet, arriving in Phuket, Thailand, on October 4 for its first port call of the deployment alongside USS Delbert D. Black. This shift to 7th Fleet waters leaves only USS George Washington in the CENTCOM theater, with USS Theodore Roosevelt approaching as a potential replacement. The unannounced exit and current location outside CENTCOM represent the dominant recent development shaping trader assessments of the carrier's positioning on any near-term resolution date.