WASHINGTON — The U.S. Defense Department announced on Sunday that Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin has ordered a guided missile submarine to the Middle East and instructed the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier strike group to expedite its journey to the region.
These actions come as the U.S. and its allies urge Israel and Hamas to reach a ceasefire that could help ease tensions in the region following the assassination of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran and a senior Hezbollah commander in Beirut.
Officials have been on high alert for retaliatory strikes by both Iran and Hezbollah in response to the killings, prompting the U.S. to bolster its presence in the area.
Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder, Pentagon press secretary, stated that Austin spoke with Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant earlier in the day, reiterating America’s commitment “to take every possible step to defend Israel and noted the strengthening of U.S. military force posture and capabilities throughout the Middle East in light of escalating regional tensions.”
The Lincoln, which has been operating in the Asia Pacific, had already been ordered to the region to replace the USS Theodore Roosevelt aircraft carrier strike group, scheduled to return home from the Middle East. Last week, Austin said the Lincoln would reach the Central Command area by the end of the month.
It remains unclear what his latest order entails, or how much faster the Lincoln will travel to the Middle East. The carrier carries F-35 fighter jets, along with the F/A-18 fighter aircraft that are also stationed on carriers.
Ryder did not provide information on the timeline for the arrival of the USS Georgia guided missile submarine.
He said Austin and Gallant also discussed Israel’s military operations in Gaza and the importance of minimizing civilian casualties.
The call follows an Israeli airstrike that hit a school-turned-shelter in Gaza early Saturday, killing at least 80 people and injuring nearly 50 others, Palestinian health authorities reported, marking one of the deadliest attacks of the 10-month .
