The United States is deploying a guided missile submarine and an aircraft carrier strike group to the Middle East as tensions escalate in the region. The move comes as Israel prepares for potential retaliatory attacks from Iran and its proxies following the assassinations of senior members of Hamas and Hezbollah.
The Pentagon confirmed that Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin ordered the dispatch of the USS Georgia guided missile submarine and the USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group, equipped with F-35C fighter jets, to the region. The decision to publicly announce the deployment of a submarine is a rare step, indicating the seriousness of the situation.
The orders were issued as Austin reaffirmed Washington’s commitment to defend its ally, Israel. In a call with his Israeli counterpart Yoav Gallant, Austin discussed the readiness and capabilities of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) in the face of threats posed by Iran and its regional proxies, according to a readout from the Pentagon.
The moves come amid mounting fears that Iran might soon respond to the assassination of Hamas’ political leader, Ismail Haniyeh, who was killed in Tehran last month after attending the inauguration ceremony for Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian. Both Iran and Hamas blamed Israel for the killing, and while Israel has remained quiet on the matter, it is widely believed to have carried out the assassination.
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei vowed “severe punishment” for the assassination, after which Yahya Sinwar, the alleged mastermind of Hamas’ Oct. 7 terror attack on Israel, was named as the group’s political leader.
As tensions continue to spiral, the U.S. has ramped up pressure on Israel and Hamas to secure a cease-fire and hostage release deal that would end Israel’s deadly offensive in Gaza. Local officials say around 40,000 people have been killed in the months since Hamas launched its attacks on Israel, in which some 1,200 people were killed and around 250 others taken hostage.
Britain, France, and Germany called for Iran and its allies to refrain from retaliation to avoid further escalating tensions and potentially imperiling efforts toward a cease-fire deal. In a joint statement, the three countries said Iran and its proxies would “bear responsibility for actions that jeopardize the opportunity for peace and stability.”
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