Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin announced Saturday that he ordered the deployment of a second aircraft carrier and its strike group to the Eastern Mediterranean to show support for Israel amid its bombardment of Gaza.
Austin said the aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower will begin moving toward the region to “deter hostile actions against Israel or any efforts toward widening this war following Hamas’s attack on Israel.” He said the deployment demonstrates the US’s “ironclad commitment to Israel’s security.”
The Eisenhower’s strike group also includes the “guided-missile cruiser USS Philippine Sea (CG 58), guided-missile destroyers USS Gravely (DDG 107) and USS Mason (DDG 87), and Carrier Air Wing 3, with nine aircraft squadrons, and embarked headquarters staffs.”
The Eisenhower will join the USS Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group, which arrived in the region earlier this week. The US has also increased its presence of fighter jets in the Middle East in the wake of the October 7 Hamas attack on southern Israel.
The massive US show of force demonstrates that the US is ready to directly enter the war if it chooses to do so. US officials have stressed the purpose of the deployments is to deter Hezbollah or Iran from entering the conflict.
Besides the deployments, the US has also backed Israel’s onslaught on Gaza by shipping military equipment, including munitions and Iron Dome interceptors. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said Sunday that the White House plans to push Congress to approve new military aid for Israel and Ukraine. The package could also include funding to arm Taiwan.
These fools want a three front war!
My mother in law used to say your eyes are bigger then your stomach. Israel has a very big vision. Israel great,Arabs not so much.
This vast conspiracy of land grabs and exploitation that have driven the countries like the US and Israel can not continue much longer IMHO,The world is growing smaller.
Are those aircraft carriers to support Israel, or to threaten Iran?
I have a good idea about where this is headed. Israel will handle Hamas with their usual aplomb. This massive show of force and military power has one objective. To support Israel and its right wing government in its battle with Iran. Tanks,air power and an army of 600,000 trained killers is overkill for the prisoners of Gaza..
Pretty big deployment for a war against an enclave with no airforce, navy, or actual Army. Then again if the IDF is anything like the American military, they know they can’t beat a Junior High paintball team without 6 squadrons of air support, so I guess it’s a wise precaution.
Guaranteed, Hamas right now is aching for a chance to sink one of those.
Hamas cannot do that.Maybe Hezbollah-but the fleets wont get within rage. Also good fire suppression systems and close defense gatling guns.
This is how a war starts. I’m wishing EVERYONE PEACE and also, hopefully, some wisdom, in the midst of idiocy…I’m lighting a joint for PEACE and some peace of mind…
I am already one toke over the line. Reading the comments on Anti War does not help because the crazy bastards backing Israel have no common sense instead they pursue confrontations with Iran and China that are not intelligent both militarily or economically.
Lighting up for PEACE good Wendell!
And what is the relationship between China and Israel?
China has been building relationships throughout Africa and the MidEast. They will not stand for their economics future endangered by the military actions of the US and Israel. The US screws with the Iranians and the chinese at their peril.
The citizens of the US and the rest of the civilized world need to see Israel as a massive US military base.