2023-12-17 01:45:01
The Secretary of Defense of USALloyd Austin, has ordered the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford and another warship extend their presence in the Mediterranean Sea for several additional weeks. This measure aims to keep two aircraft carriers close to Israel as their war with Hamasas reported by US officials.
USS Gerald R. Ford expands its presence in the region
This prolonged deployment of USS Gerald R. Fordwhich marks the third extension of its presence in the region, underscores lingering concerns regarding volatility in the area during the war Israel in Gaza. In recent years, the presence of two US aircraft carriers in the region has been a rarity.
Multiple US officials have confirmed these deployment extensions, but have requested anonymity as they have not yet been publicly announced. In addition to these extensions, other ships of the attack group of the USS Gerald R. Ford They had already seen their deployments prolonged.
The Pentagon increased its military presence in the region following the devastating attacks carried out by Hamas on October 7, in which Palestinian terrorists massacred 1,200 people in southern Israel, most of them civilians who were murdered in their homes and at a music festival. In addition, they took regarding 240 people hostage.
Objective: Deter Iran and its regional terrorist forces
The objective was to deter Iran to expand the war and turn it into a regional confrontation. Since then, the terrorist group Hezbollah and allied Palestinian factions in Lebanon have carried out repeated cross-border attacks once morest Israelprovoking retaliation by Israeli forces.
Terrorists backed by Iran in Irak y Syria They have also taken advantage of the war between Israel y Hamas to carry out regular rocket, drone and missile attacks once morest US military installations in those countries.
Simultaneously, American warships in the Red Sea have intercepted missiles fired from areas controlled by Houthi rebels backed by Iran in Yemen toward Israel. They have also shot down one-way attack drones aimed at ships and responded to requests for help from commercial vessels that have been the target of persistent Houthi attacks near the Strait of Bab el-Mandeb.
19 US warships deployed to the region
Currently, 19 US warships are deployed in the region, of which seven are in the Eastern Mediterranean and the other 12 spread across the Red Seahe Arabian sea and the Persian Gulf.
On October 8, Austin ordered that the USS Gerald R. Ford and his attack group headed towards the Mediterranean Sea eastern, one day following the attack Hamas that sparked the war.
This decision to keep USS Gerald R. Fordone of the US Navy’s newest aircraft carriers, in the region, coincides with the statement by the Minister of Defense of Israel, Yoav Gallantwho has foreseen a protracted war and estimated that it will take months to defeat Hamas.
Jake SullivanUS National Security Advisor, held a meeting with Israeli leaders to discuss a possible schedule for reducing major fighting in Gaza. However, the Israeli leaders reaffirmed their determination to continue the fight until defeating Hamas.
He USS Gerald R. Ford, with regarding 5,000 sailors on board, had been awaiting a decision from the Pentagon on whether they would be able to return home for the holidays. The ship departed Norfolk, Virginia, in early May to deploy to U.S. European Command and was originally scheduled to return home in early November.
Initial deployment of USS Dwight D. Eisenhower
Initially, it was planned that the aircraft carrier strike group USS Dwight D. Eisenhower will replace Ford in the region. However, Sabrina Singhin a Pentagon briefing on October 17, reported that Defense Secretary Austin had decided to extend Ford’s deployment and keep both Eisenhower and Ford covering the waters from southern Europe to the Middle East.
American military leaders have highlighted the effectiveness of US aircraft carriers as deterrents, including once morest attacks, hijackings and other aggressive actions by Iran and their ships, such as the Houthi attacks on commercial ships in the Red Sea. However, repeated attacks by the Houthis in the Red Sea they took to the shipping company Maersk to announce on Friday that it would suspend passage through the Strait of Bab el-Mandeb.
According to officials, the intention is to keep the USS Gerald R. Ford in the region for several more weeks. For his part, the USS Eisenhower is located in the Gulf of Oman and has been patrolling in the Middle East along with the USS Philippine Sea, a Navy cruiser. Furthermore, three warships, the USS Carneyhe USS Stethem and the USS Masonall Navy destroyers, have been patrolling daily through Bab el-Mandeb to help deter and respond to Houthi attacks.
Other ships that are part of the attack group of the USS Gerald R. Ford are the destroyers USS Thomas Hudner, USS Ramage, USS Carney y USS Roosevelt. Although the United States regularly maintained two aircraft carriers in the Middle East during the height of the wars Irak y Afghanistanin recent years has sought to redirect its focus and naval presence towards the Asia-Pacific region.
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