The USS Harry S. Truman (CVN-75) departed on Monday from Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia for a deployment to the US 6th Fleet in the eastern Mediterranean, according to the US Naval Institute (USNI).
Included in the aircraft carrier strike group with the Truman is Carrier Air Wing 1, guided-missile destroyers USS Jason Dunham (DDG-109) and USS Stout (DDG-55) and guided-missile cruiser USS Gettysburg (CG-64).
“This deployment comes on the heels of the Dwight D. Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group’s nine-month mission that highlighted the need for continuity in our sustained presence amid escalating international tensions,” US Fleet Forces Command Commander Admiral Daryl Caudle said in a statement.
In addition, “in light of increased tension in the Middle East and out of an abundance of caution,” the US is sending “a small number” of additional US military personnel to augment existing American forces that are already in the region. “For operation security reasons,” Pentagon Press Secretary Major General Pat Ryder declined to provide specifics during an off-camera briefing on Monday.
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has made sure the US has what it needs to meet its commitment to Israel’s security, its own forces and American citizens in the region.
“You’ve got the DDGs (ed: guided missile destroyers) … [and] air defense capabilities throughout the region. You’ve got the Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group. We’ve got fighter aircraft throughout the region,” Ryder told reporters.
“We have more capability in the region today than we did on April 14th when Iran conducted its drone and missile attack against Israel. So, all of those forces combined provide us with the options to be able to protect our forces should they be attacked.”
Nevertheless, the US continues to work — and pressure Israel — towards a diplomatic resolution to the war forced upon the Jewish State by surrounding Iranian proxy armies.
“We’ve been very clear, working with partners in the region — to include Israel — that we believe that the way to reduce tensions and to get people home (ed: a reference to the hostages held by Hamas in Gaza) is through diplomatic means. And so, we’ll continue to work toward making that happen,” Ryder said.
“No one wants to see a wider regional conflict happen. We think that the best way to get people back into their homes on both sides of the border (ed: reference to the internal refugees forced out of their homes due to the war launched against Israel by Hamas and Hezbollah) is to lower the temperatures, deescalate and work towards a diplomatic means.
“Part of the risk here is miscalculation and the potential for this spiraling into a wider regional conflict. And so, again, we’ll continue to encourage resolution through diplomatic means,” Ryder said.
The Pentagon press secretary emphasized that the US is not involved in planning or supporting Israel as it conducts its operations. However, he added, “We’re obviously supporting the defense of Israel, should they be threatened or attacked and call upon us for support, which could include the kinds of scenarios you saw on April 14, when Iran conducted its drone and missile attack.”
The US Embassy in Beirut issued an alert this weekend warning all Americans to leave Lebanon, but up to this point the US military has not been asked to evacuate anyone, Ryder said.
At present, the USS Wasp (LHD-1), its amphibious ready group and the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit are also in the Eastern Mediterranean, USNI reported.
One of the Wasp’s capabilities is noncombatant evacuation operations, which the Navy said may become necessary in the event of continued escalations between Israel and Hezbollah, which resides in Lebanon.
As of Monday (Sept. 23), the USS Bulkeley (DDG-84), USS Arleigh Burke (DDG-51) and USS Cole (DDG-67) were also present in the Eastern Mediterranean.
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