What US aircraft carriers bring to the Middle East

STORY: The Pentagon has deployed two aircraft carriers to the eastern Mediterranean.

The Ford carrier - and the Eisenhower carrier... along with their supporting ships.

Washington says these massive warships are intended to send a message to the region as war rages on between its ally Israel - and Iran-backed Palestinian militants Hamas.

Here's a closer look at what that means.

The Gerald R. Ford carrier is the U.S.'s newest aircraft carrier -- and the world's largest.

It holds 5,000 sailors, a nuclear reactor, and an arsenal of missiles used to counter drones and aircraft.

It can also hold more than 75 military aircraft, including fighter jets...

and comes along with several supporting warships.

The nuclear-powered Dwight Eisenhower carrier strike group first carried out operations during Iraq's invasion of Kuwait.

It has 5,000 sailors and can carry up to nine squadrons of aircraft, like fighter jets, helicopters and those capable of carrying out intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance operations.

The carriers would bolster Washington's presence - in a region that already hosts a number of U.S. military ships, planes and troops.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Sunday the aircraft carriers are not meant to be a provocation but a deterrence to ensure the conflict does not expand throughout the region.

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin called them a sign of, quote, "our resolve to deter any state or non-state actor seeking to escalate this war."

But it might not be seen that way to others.

Turkey – a long supporter of a two-state solution – has said the ships are meant to commit, quote, "serious massacres" in the Gaza Strip.

And Iran has already threatened "significant damages" to the U.S. should the war escalate.