The USS George H.W. Bush Carrier Strike Group completed six months of operations in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility, supporting maritime security efforts and Operation Epic Fury in the Arabian Sea before departing the theater in recent days. As of October 4, 2026, the Nimitz-class carrier and escort vessels arrived in Phuket, Thailand, for a scheduled port visit—the group's first since deploying from the U.S. East Coast in March—transitioning into the U.S. 7th Fleet area. USS George Washington remains the sole U.S. carrier operating in the Middle East region. Trader positioning on date-specific presence in CENTCOM reflects this confirmed exit, alongside routine carrier rotation patterns and any follow-on tasking that could alter timelines before market resolution.