USS Abraham Lincoln Arrives in Middle East Amid Tensions
A second United States aircraft carrier, the USS Abraham Lincoln, arrived in the Middle East on Wednesday, accompanied by guided missile destroyers, CBS News reports, citing the US Central Command.
The arrival adds to the existing US naval presence in the region, which includes the USS Theodore Roosevelt aircraft carrier, deployed in mid-July.
Equipped with advanced F-35 fighter jets, the USS Abraham Lincoln was dispatched at an order from Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, who instructed its transit from the Indo-Pacific to the Middle East in anticipation of a potential Iranian attack against Israel. Alongside the Lincoln, Austin also ordered the USS Georgia, a guided missile submarine, to the area, marking a rare public acknowledgment of US submarine movements in the region.
The last time the Pentagon cited a submarine in US Central Command was in November 2023, shortly after the outbreak of war in Gaza following Hamas’ attack.
The deployment comes in the wake of threats from both Hezbollah in Lebanon and Iran, which have vowed retaliation against Israel for a series of assassinations in late July. While Israel has claimed responsibility for killing Hezbollah commander Fuad Shukr in a Beirut suburb, it has not confirmed its responsibilty for the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran.
With the current escalation, US officials have told the broadcaster that ceasefire negotiations aimed at halting the war in Gaza have temporarily stalled Iran’s response as it deliberates its next moves.
The Pentagon has announced additional troop deployments to bolster support for Israel in case of an attack and to prepare for any potential escalation of the conflict.
“We are ensuring that we have the forces in theater to respond to something if it happens now, and also to manage whatever could be next in terms of potential escalation and trying to de-escalate the situation,”Pentagon Press Secretary Maj. Gen. Patrick Ryder said.
