U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has made strategic military decisions, instructing a guided missile submarine to move to the Middle East and directing the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier strike group to hasten its journey to the region, as reported by the Defense Department on Sunday. These actions come amid efforts by the U.S. and its allies to broker a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, intended to ease the escalating tensions following the assassinations of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran and a senior Hezbollah commander in Beirut.
In response to concerns about potential retaliatory actions by Iran and Hezbollah, the United States has heightened its military presence in the area. Major General Pat Ryder, the Pentagon press secretary, stated that Austin reassured Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant of America’s commitment to supporting Israel and mentioned the reinforcement of U.S. military strength in the Middle East given the rising regional tensions.
The USS Abraham Lincoln, previously positioned in the Asia Pacific region, had already been tasked with heading to the Middle East to take over from the USS Theodore Roosevelt aircraft carrier strike group, which is preparing to return home from its Middle East operations. Last week, Austin announced that the Lincoln would reach the Central Command area by the end of the month.
The exact implications of the recent instructions and the acceleration of the Lincoln’s journey towards the Middle East remain undisclosed as of Sunday. The USS Georgia guided missile submarine’s deployment timeline to the region was also unspecified. Austin and Gallant’s conversation encompassed Israel’s military activities in Gaza and the imperative of minimizing civilian casualties.
This discussion occurred following an Israeli airstrike on a Gaza school used as a shelter early Saturday, resulting in the deaths of at least 80 individuals and injuring almost 50 others as reported by Palestinian health authorities, marking one of the deadliest incidents in the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict.
