The American aircraft carrier "Nimitz" departs from the South China Sea heading towards the Middle East.

The American aircraft carrier "USS Nimitz" left the South China Sea this morning, Monday, June 16, heading west towards the Middle East, according to data from "Marine Traffic," a specialized site in tracking ship movements.

The carrier was supposed to dock at the port of Danang in Vietnam on June 20, but the visit was canceled due to "urgent operational requirements," as reported by a diplomatic source to Reuters.

The U.S. Pacific Fleet website mentioned that the "Nimitz Carrier Strike Group" conducted maritime security operations in the South China Sea last week, as part of the "routine presence of the U.S. Navy in the Indian and Pacific Oceans regions."

The carrier's movement coincided with escalating tensions between Israel and Iran, as Iran launched dozens of ballistic missiles today at Israeli cities, including Tel Aviv and Haifa, resulting in the death of 8 people and injuring 85 others, according to Israeli emergency services.

Meanwhile, Iranian authorities announced the death of around 250 people, mostly civilians, since the start of Israeli attacks on Iranian territories on June 13 as part of "Operation Rising Lion" targeting the Iranian nuclear program.

Commenting on the crisis, U.S. President Donald Trump told ABC News on Sunday, "It's possible that we could get involved" in the conflict, indicating that the United States "is not involved at the moment."

It is worth noting that tensions between the two countries have witnessed mutual escalation in recent days, with Israel and Iran exchanging strikes, including the recent Iranian attack described as the most intense since the start of the confrontations.