Jabed Ahmed
The Independent / August 12, 2024
US defence secretary Lloyd Austin has ordered a guided missile submarine to the Middle East, the defence department has said.
The USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier strike group have been told to sail more quickly to the area to help calm soaring tensions.
The moves come as the US and other allies push for Israel and Hamas to achieve a ceasefire agreement following the assassination of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran and a senior Hezbollah commander in Beirut.
Major General Pat Ryder, Pentagon press secretary, said in a statement that Austin spoke to Israeli defence minister Yoav Gallant earlier on Sunday, and reiterated America’s commitment “to take every possible step to defend Israel and noted the strengthening of US military force posture and capabilities throughout the Middle East in light of escalating regional tensions”.
The Lincoln, which has been in the Asia Pacific, had already been ordered to the region to replace the USS Theodore Roosevelt aircraft carrier strike group, which is scheduled to begin heading home from the Middle East.
Jabed Ahmed – News Reporter at The Independent
