The Pentagon announced on Sunday that US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has ordered the deployment of a guided missile submarine to the Middle East. This move comes as the region braces for potential attacks by Iran and its allies following the assassinations of senior members of Hamas and Hezbollah. While the USS Georgia, a nuclear-powered submarine, was already present in the Mediterranean Sea in July, according to a US military post on social media, the public announcement of its deployment is unusual. In a statement released after Austin spoke with his Israeli counterpart, the Pentagon stated that Austin had instructed the Abraham Lincoln strike group to expedite its deployment to the region. The statement further emphasized, “Secretary Austin reiterated the United States’ commitment to take every possible step to defend Israel and noted the strengthening of U.S. military force posture and capabilities throughout the Middle East in light of escalating regional tensions.” The US military had previously declared its intention to deploy additional fighter jets and Navy warships to the Middle East to bolster Israeli defenses. Ismail Haniyeh, the political leader of Iran-backed Hamas, was assassinated in Tehran on July 31. The attack triggered threats of retaliation from Iran against Israel, which is engaged in a conflict with Hamas in Gaza. Iran blamed Israel for the assassination, though Israel has not taken responsibility. This assassination, along with the killing of Fuad Shukr, the senior military commander of the Iran-backed Lebanese group Hezbollah, by Israel in a strike on Beirut, has raised concerns that the conflict in Gaza could escalate into a wider Middle East war. Iran has asserted that the US shares responsibility for Haniyeh’s assassination due to its support for Israel. Reuters reported that several US and coalition personnel were wounded in a drone attack on Friday in Syria. This marks the second major attack against US forces in recent days, amid heightened tensions in the Middle East.
US Deploys Submarine to Middle East Amid Rising Tensions with Iran
