US Sends Third Carrier as Gulf Tensions Lift Oil

Two oil tankers caught fire Tuesday after they struck Iranian mines while crossing the Strait of Hormuz through Omani territorial waters, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said. Energy prices climbed, and the incidents came as the United States prepared to send a third aircraft carrier to the Middle East, joining forces already operating in the region.

Brent crude rose to $111.05 a barrel, while U.S. crude topped $104. The IRGC also said it had downed a U.S. drone. Shipping intelligence firm Kpler reported at least 18 vessel attacks over the past two weeks.

Military buildup and shipping attacks

Fox News reported that the USS Theodore Roosevelt was expected to arrive in the Middle East by the end of November. Two other U.S. aircraft carriers are already operating there. The deployment also includes additional Marine forces and is expected to bring approximately 10,000 more U.S. sailors and Marines to the region, strengthening Washington's military presence in the Persian Gulf.

The reported carrier deployment comes as vessel attacks and rising oil prices put more pressure on diplomatic efforts. The IRGC blamed Iranian mines for the tanker fires; the vessels were trying to pass through the strait via Omani territorial waters. The article also reported attacks on three other vessels and the IRGC's claim that a U.S. drone had been downed.

Diplomacy alongside military deployments

Pakistan's army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, arrived in Tehran as diplomatic efforts continued. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei confirmed the visit and said the discussions would also address ongoing negotiations.

Sources familiar with the talks told the Qatari-owned newspaper Al-Araby Al-Jadeed that Pakistan and Qatar had presented a compromise proposal on releasing $6 billion in Iranian funds frozen in Qatari banks. The sources said Iran had given preliminary consent and the United States had approved the proposal.

Senior Iranian officials told Reuters that the country's clerical establishment was determined not to give Donald Trump a political victory before the U.S. midterm elections. One senior official said Tehran was preparing for renewed attacks, not an agreement with Washington. Diplomats speaking to The Washington Post said Iran aimed to "punish" Trump politically by driving up energy prices. An Arab diplomat said, "They're obsessed. They think they can bring down a presidency."

Regional effects

Saudi Arabia has faced repeated attacks by Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen. The strikes included attacks on Riyadh's airport, where 18 people were killed this month. British Defense Secretary Wes Streeting announced that the Royal Air Force would send Typhoon fighter jets to help defend Saudi airspace, while saying the aircraft wouldn't strike inside Yemen.

Saudi Arabia postponed its flagship Future Investment Initiative conference, widely known as "Davos in the Desert," until next year. The delay, rising oil prices, the proposed release of frozen Iranian funds and the planned U.S. carrier deployment all feature in the regional picture reported Tuesday. The third carrier is expected to join two already operating in the Middle East, alongside additional Marine forces and approximately 10,000 more U.S. sailors and Marines.