War tensions grow as US aircraft carrier spotted near China

Satellite imagery has revealed the presence of a U.S. aircraft carrier in the South China Sea, a region over which China claims sovereignty.

The U.S. Seventh Fleet, responsible for maintaining American naval presence in the western Pacific Ocean, confirmed to Newsweek that the USS Nimitz is currently deployed in the area.

This Western military presence has angered Beijing, especially as the U.S. and the Philippines have been conducting joint military exercises since April 21.

A spokesperson for the Seventh Fleet told Newsweek that the warship provides “a combat-ready force and presence” in the region.

“Assets assigned to the U.S. Seventh Fleet operate alongside allies and partners every day to deter aggression and maintain security in the Indo-Pacific,” the spokesperson added.

In addition to the USS Nimitz, the U.S. has also stationed the USS George Washington in the western Pacific, currently docked at its homeport in Yokosuka, near Tokyo, Japan.

(QG - Source: Newsweek — Picture : © Unsplash)