U.S. warship reported heading toward the Middle East as Iran, Israel fight

The aircraft carrier USS Nimitz was leaving Southeast Asia on Monday after cancelling plans to dock in Vietnam, amid reports it is heading to the Middle East to boost the U.S. presence as Israel and Iran battle.

At 13:45 GMT, the carrier was traveling through the Malacca Strait toward the Indian Ocean, according to Marine Traffic, a ship-tracking site.

A Vietnamese government official confirmed that a planned reception aboard the USS Nimitz on June 20, as part of the ship's expected June 19-23 visit to Danang, had been cancelled.

The official shared a letter from the U.S. embassy announcing that the Defense Department was cancelling the event due to "an emergent operational requirement."

The movement of one of the world's largest warships came on day four of the escalating air war between Israel and Iran, with no end in sight despite international calls for de-escalation.

Israel's strikes have so far killed at least 224 people, including top military commanders, nuclear scientists and civilians, according to Iranian authorities.

In retaliation, Iran said it had struck Israel with a salvo of missiles and warned of "effective, targeted and more devastating operations" to come.

U.S. ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee said on Monday that Iran's missile barrage had slightly damaged a building used by the American embassy in Tel Aviv.