New satellite imagery has captured the USS Nimitz strike carrier group operating in the South China Sea amid rising tensions with China.

Why It Matters

The South China Sea is a critical maritime corridor, with an estimated one-fifth of global trade passing through its waters each year.

China claims sovereignty over most of the waterway, putting it at odds with several neighboring governments. Its expanding maritime presence inside the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone, in particular, has led to dramatic confrontations and collisions with the U.S. treaty ally.

Newsweek reached out to the U.S. Seventh Fleet by email with a request for comment.

What To Know

A November 2 photo captured by a European Space Agency satellite shows the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Nimitz and

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