American aircraft carrier leaves South China Sea, heads toward Middle East

(Patria) - The American aircraft carrier USS Nimitz left the South China Sea on Monday morning and headed west, according to data from the ship tracking website Marine Traffic, after a planned port visit to Vietnam was cancelled.

The Nimitz was scheduled to dock in the city of Danang later this week, but according to two sources, including a diplomat, the official reception scheduled for June 20 was cancelled. One of the sources said they were informed of the cancellation by the U.S. embassy in Hanoi, citing "urgent operational requirements" as the reason.

Last week, the Nimitz Carrier Strike Group participated in maritime security operations in the South China Sea, which, according to the official website of the U.S. Navy's Pacific Fleet Command, is part of the routine U.S. presence in the Indo-Pacific.

Marine Traffic data shows that the aircraft carrier was moving westward on Monday morning, toward the Middle East, where the conflict between Israel and Iran is currently escalating, Reuters reports.

This move comes as Washington's increasing attention shifts from the Asia-Pacific to the Middle East, further complicating the global security situation.