2024-08-16 20:37:11
The United States has deployed a guided missile submarine to the Middle East in response to growing fears that Iran could retaliate against Israel for the killing of a senior Hamas member, SkyNews reports.
The decision came after Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps began military exercises on Friday in the western province of Kermanshah, near the border with Iraq.
The Pentagon confirmed the submarine’s deployment and the acceleration of the Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group’s arrival in the region after Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin held talks with Israel’s defense minister on Sunday.
“Secretary Austin reaffirmed that the United States is prepared to take all necessary measures to defend Israel, emphasizing that the United States is strengthening its military capabilities in the Middle East amid rising regional tensions,” the official statement said.
Earlier, an Iranian military spokesman told state news agency IRNA that the exercises were aimed at “increasing combat readiness and increasing the level of vigilance.”
Western countries have urged Iran to exercise restraint, fearing that retaliation could escalate the regional conflict. However, US media sources have reported that Israeli intelligence suggests Iran is planning a direct attack that could be carried out in the coming days.
European leaders call on Iran to stop aggression over killing of Hamas leader. But Iran’s president says his country has a right to respond to Israel.
Earlier, Cursor also reported that the Pentagon sent an official message to Turkey asking it to influence Iran.