The USS George Washington is set to replace the USS Abraham Lincoln in the Middle East, while the 60-day deadline for a U.S.-Iran deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz expires today. Separately, Jared Kushner, President Trump’s son-in-law and Middle East envoy, met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as part of ongoing U.S.-backed peace negotiations.
USS Washington to assume Middle East deployment as Lincoln nears nine-month mark
The USS George Washington aircraft carrier is scheduled to relieve the USS Abraham Lincoln in the Middle East, according to U.S. Navy officials. The Lincoln has been deployed for nearly nine months, with families of sailors reporting mental health concerns, supply shortages, and inadequate fresh food during its deployment. A former Navy captain, speaking anonymously, stated that his son’s crew faced hygiene product shortages while deployed with the USS Tripoli Amphibious Ready Group, with mail and care packages delayed upon return to Japan in late July.
Navy officials noted that no standard handoff period exists for carrier deployments, meaning the Lincoln could depart shortly after the Washington’s arrival. Logistics issues tied to the war in Iran have disrupted supply lines since the conflict began, according to Steve Walsh of WHRO, an NPR network affiliate.
U.S.-Iran deal deadline expires amid stalled negotiations
The 60-day period for a U.S.-Iran Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to end the war and reopen the Strait of Hormuz expires today, with no deal in sight. The MOU, signed two months ago, called for negotiations to stabilize the region, but talks have repeatedly broken down. President Trump had previously claimed a deal was imminent, but on July 8, he stated the MOU was "over."
Transit data from Kpler, a maritime tracking firm, shows a sharp decline in vessel movement through the Strait of Hormuz: only five commodity vessels transited on Saturday and none on Sunday, compared to 31 the prior weekend. At least one ship used the Iranian route, and a small tanker carrying Iranian fuel oil exited the strait. Pre-war daily traffic averaged 130 vessels.
Kushner’s Middle East diplomacy continues
Jared Kushner met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as part of U.S.-led efforts to advance a peace plan for Gaza. The plan, negotiated by Trump’s International Board of Peace, seeks Hamas’s disarmament, a roadmap for governance transfer, and a ceasefire framework. A source familiar with the meeting stated the discussions aimed to translate the plan into verifiable steps, including:
- Maintaining the ceasefire between Israel and Gaza.
- Transferring governing responsibilities to the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza.
- Ensuring Hamas has no future role in Gaza.
- Facilitating Israeli withdrawals and deploying an international monitoring force.
The meeting follows Kushner’s prior discussions with Hamas leaders in Egypt over the weekend, where he pushed for concrete, enforceable measures to implement the U.S.-backed proposal.