Grain of salt, but no outright denial.
Per navy.mil:
Washington’s ready, and I show her next up, due to deploy this month, to the Med.
Enterprise is also ready, had a shakedown cruise last month that reportedly went well.
I count Debka as one half of one reliable source.
Since once is happenstance, twice is coincidence, and three times is enemy action, (but I like to lean forward on “two”) we need one and a half more reliable sources to “lean” and two point five to be sure.
Given the mess in Gaza, the simmer in Lebanon, the unreported tangles around Amarah, and the offensive in Baqubah, it’s a good idea to say on our toes anyway.
Navy.mil~~~ 6~20~07~~~
Ships and Submarines
Deployable Battle Force Ships: 277
Ships Underway (away from homeport): 140 ships (51% of total)
On deployment: 103 ships (37% of total)
Attack submarines underway (away from homeport): 24 submarines (44%)
On deployment: 18 submarines (33%)
Ships Underway
Carriers:
USS Nimitz (CVN 68) - Arabian Gulf
USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74) - North Arabian Sea
Bataan Expeditionary Strike Group (ESG):
USS Bataan (LHD 5) - Red Sea
USS Bohomme Richard (LHD 6) - Arabian Gulf
Amphibious Warfare Ships:
USS Essex (LHD 2) - Coral Sea
Uss Kearsarge (LHD 3) - Atlantic Ocean
USS Juneau (LPD 10) - Coral Sea
USS Tortuga (LSD 10) - Coral Sea
USS Fort McHenry (LSD 43) - Atlantic Ocean
USS Gunston Hall (LSD 44) - Atlantic Ocean
USS Rushmore (LSD 47) - North Arabian Gulf
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I don’t think the Big E has even left yet,,,
JMHO : Anything that shows up now will be for the surge...