US Defense Secretary Orders Increased Deployment of Aircraft Carrier to Middle East Amid Israel-Hamas Tensions
Washington, US - US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin ordered the immediate deployment of the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln to the Middle East following escalating tensions between Israel and Hamas. The move comes as regional fears of an armed conflict intensify.
The Pentagon confirmed the order, stating that the deployment is a response to the heightened tensions in the region and the potential for serious damage caused by Iranian-backed groups. The USS Abraham Lincoln will join another American aircraft carrier, the USS Theodore Roosevelt, already in the area.
Austin also communicated with his Israeli counterpart, Yoav Gallant, and ordered the deployment of the USS Georgia nuclear submarine to the same area. The two men discussed the importance of reducing civilian casualties and de-escalating the tensions in Gaza.
The situation in the Middle East has been tense since an attack by a Palestinian Islamist group on Israeli soil on October 7th, which resulted in the deaths of 1,198 people. Israel’s retaliation in Gaza has resulted in over 39,790 deaths, according to Hamas.