U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin has directed a guided missile submarine to the Middle East and expedited the deployment of the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier strike group to the region.
This decision, made on Sunday evening, came after a phone conversation between Austin and Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Galant, as tensions escalated following the deaths of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran and a senior Hezbollah commander in Beirut.
USS Abraham Lincoln Moved After Talks
The Abraham Lincoln has been stationed in the Asia Pacific but has now been directed to the Middle East to take over for the USS Theodore Roosevelt aircraft carrier strike group, which is set to start its journey back home. Earlier, Austin mentioned that The Lincoln, which has F-35 and F/A-18 fighter jets on board, was expected to reach the Central Command area before the end of the month.
ABC News reported that in a statement, Pentagon press secretary, Maj. …