Guided Missile Submarine Joins the U.S. Fleet Deployed in the Middle East

The U.S. Department of Defense (Pentagon) announced on Sunday that Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin ordered the deployment of a guided missile submarine to the Middle East amid rising tensions in the region. The Pentagon statement noted that Austin also ordered the expedited sending of the aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln and its accompanying group to the area. In a phone call with his Israeli counterpart Yoav Gallant, Lloyd Austin reaffirmed the United States' commitment to take all possible steps to defend Israel. The U.S. Secretary of Defense mentioned the bolstering of U.S. military presence and capabilities throughout the Middle East in light of escalating regional tensions. Earlier in August, the Department of Defense had announced that the military would deploy additional Navy ships and destroyers to the Middle East due to the escalating situation in the region. This move is part of the United States' efforts to strengthen defenses following threats from Iran, Hezbollah, and the Hamas-aligned forces. The United States has deployed 12 warships in the Middle East, where tensions have risen following the assassination of Hamas political bureau leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran and the military commander of Hezbollah, Fouad Shukr, in Beirut.