WASHINGTON — The Iran conflict entered its 33rd day Wednesday with no end in sight, as the United States deployed a third aircraft carrier and thousands more troops to the region — including 2,500 Marines leaving California, putting Camp Pendleton families on alert.

The USS George H.W. Bush, a Nimitz-class carrier with more than 6,000 sailors aboard, departed Naval Station Norfolk on Tuesday and is bound for the Middle East, the Pentagon confirmed. Three destroyers accompany the carrier strike group. The deployment comes after the USS Gerald R. Ford sustained fire damage in March and returned to Croatia for repairs, leaving a gap in the region that the Bush is expected to fill.

Also heading to the region: thousands of soldiers from the 82nd Airborne Division, trained to parachute into hostile territory to secure airfields — a capability that has fueled speculation about potential ground operations. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told reporters Tuesday that the administration has not ruled anything out militarily.

For San Diego, the news hits close to home. A U.S. Navy ship recently delivered roughly 2,500 Marines to the Middle East, and another 2,500 Marines are now deploying from California — a deployment that directly affects families throughout San Diego County, from Camp Pendleton in the north to MCAS Miramar in the heart of the city.

President Trump on Wednesday posted to Truth Social claiming Iran had requested a ceasefire ahead of his planned address to the American people. Iran offered no immediate response. Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told Al Jazeera on Tuesday that Tehran has no intention of backing down, saying the country would not respond to threats and deadlines.

Nationally, gas prices crossed $4 per gallon for the first time since 2022 — a threshold San Diego drivers cleared weeks ago. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced a diplomatic conference with 35 nations committed to restoring maritime security in the Strait of Hormuz, though analysts say meaningful relief remains weeks away at best.