From the Liveblog of
Thursday, August 13, 2026
US to swap out aircraft carriers in Middle East amid reports of sailor burnout
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The US will reportedly swap aircraft carriers in the Middle East after reports of sailors aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln experiencing burnout after more than eight months at sea.
The Wall Street Journal reports that the USS George Washington is preparing to replace the Abraham Lincoln.
The swap, officials told the Journal, is part of a previously scheduled rotation. But it comes as lawmakers of both parties in the US have raised concerns about conditions aboard the ship.
The aircraft carrier has been deployed since November and was directed in January to the Middle East, where it has played a key role in the US war with Iran that began the following month.
It has not made a port call for 200 days, the Journal reports. There have been reports of soldiers going overboard due to the strain. US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said today that reports of poor conditions on the carrier are “completely misrepresented.”
The Times of Israel Community.