Second US aircraft carrier in Middle East waters ahead of Iran talks

A MH-60S Sea Hawk helicopter hovering over the USS Carl Vinson (Petty Officer 3rd Class Nathan Jordanaircraft carrier/AP)

A second US aircraft carrier is operating in Mideast waters ahead of the next round of talks between Iran and the United States over Tehran’s rapidly advancing nuclear programme, satellite photos showed.

The operation of the USS Carl Vinson and its strike group in the Arabian Sea comes as suspected US airstrikes pounded parts of Yemen controlled by the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels overnight into Tuesday.