The United States has ordered a guided missile submarine to the Middle East and accelerated the deployment of the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier strike group in response to escalating tensions following the killings of senior Hamas and Hezbollah leaders. US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin made the decision after a phone call with Israeli Minister of Defense Yoav Galant, reaffirming America’s commitment to defending Israel and strengthening military presence in the region. The USS Georgia nuclear-powered submarine was already in the Mediterranean, with the Abraham Lincoln en route to replace the USS Theodore Roosevelt in the Middle East.
The move comes after the assassination of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran, blamed on Israel, and the killing of senior Hezbollah commander Fuad Shukr in Beirut. Concerns have risen that the conflict in Gaza could escalate into a regional war. The recent Israeli attack on a school shelter in Gaza resulted in the deaths of at least 90 people, prompting calls for a ceasefire and efforts to release hostages held by Hamas.
The US announcement coincided with renewed calls for a ceasefire by Hamas, urging the US, Qatar, and Egypt to implement a proposal put forward by President Joe Biden in May. Nearly 40,000 people have been killed since the conflict began last October, with over 1,100 casualties on the Israeli side and more than 200 people held captive by Hamas. The US and its allies are working towards mitigating civilian harm and achieving a ceasefire in the region.
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