US warship heads to Middle East as Iran war escalates

US officials told CNN that the warship is being deployed to the region, but did not specify its exact destination or mission.

Regional escalation has raged since the US and Israel launched a joint offensive on Iran on Feb. 28, killing so far around 1,300 people, including then-Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

Iran has retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel, Jordan, Iraq, and Gulf countries hosting US military assets, causing casualties and damage to infrastructure while disrupting global markets and aviation.