According to AFP, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin instructed the aircraft carrier strike group led by the USS Abraham Lincoln and equipped with F-35 fighters to “accelerate its transit” to the region in response to the danger of a large-scale attack on Israel by Hezbollah or Iran. The recent Israeli assassinations of Hezbollah’s top military commander Fouad Shukr in Beirut and Hamas’ political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran have heightened regional tensions, with Iran and Hezbollah vowing revenge and the US pledging assistance for Israel in the case of an attack.

According to Pentagon spokesperson Pat Ryder, after speaking with Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on Sunday, Austin “also ordered the USS Georgia guided missile submarine to the area.” Ryder confirmed that the two discussed “the importance of mitigating civilian harm, progress towards securing a ceasefire and the release of hostages held in Gaza,” as well as attempts to dissuade violence by Iran-aligned forces in the region. Notably, the Abraham Lincoln has been in the Asia Pacific and was previously ordered to the Middle East to replace the USS Theodore Roosevelt aircraft carrier strike group, which is set to begin

Notably, the Abraham Lincoln has been in the Asia Pacific, and had already been ordered to the Middle East to replace the USS Theodore Roosevelt aircraft carrier strike group, which is scheduled to begin heading home.

Last week, the US announced the deployment of a strike group, along with additional cruisers and destroyers equipped with ballistic missile defense capabilities, and a fighter squadron.