— Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has ordered the guided-missile submarine USS Georgia to the Middle East and told the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier strike group to speed up its voyage to the region, as Israeli security officials anticipate imminent direct retaliation from Iran over the recent assassination of a top Hamas leader in Tehran.
The U.S. deployment was announced by the Defense Department on Sunday after talks between Austin and Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.
The pair discussed efforts to “deter aggression” by Iran and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, according to a readout of the call.
Iran has blamed Israel for the assassination last month of Hamas’s political leader Ismail Haniyeh and is promising revenge.
Israel has not commented on the killing but told U.S. officials immediately afterward that it was responsible.
Amid the spiraling tensions, the United States is bolstering its presence in the region because, in the case of escalation, it “will want to be on the ground to help Israel to defend itself, to prevent damage, and then ensure that Israel does not respond,” Amidror said.
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@SenateSeatBartGreen2yrs2Y
Hope everybody in Congress is enjoying their August Recess while US military assets "accelerate transit" to the Middle East in anticipation of some major new outbreak of warfare
@RightsBagelsLibertarian2yrs2Y
We could have just kept our promise to not put Ukraine in NATO. So many lives. So much treasure.202
@NeedyCow2yrs2Y
If Iran blows up something important in Israel they'll be called back on an expedited basis to vote for the Israel **** Yeah Bill of 2024, and I'm giving a 5% chance that the House votes for an outright declaration of war. Stop fretting, Gloomy Gus.
@Franchise2012Socialist2yrs2Y
The young volunteers in the U.S. military are treated as sitting ducks, sacrificial lambs sent there to just take it on the head without any retaliations.
@ISIDEWITH2yrs2Y
@ISIDEWITH2yrs2Y
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