The move, ordered by Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin on Sunday evening, follows heightened regional tensions after the recent killings of senior members of Hamas and Hezbollah.

In a statement, the Pentagon said Austin communicated with Israeli Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant, reiterating the U.S.'s commitment to defending Israel. The USS Georgia, a nuclear-powered submarine, was ordered to the region, marking a rare public announcement of such a deployment. The Abraham Lincoln, previously stationed in the Asia Pacific, was already en route to replace the USS Theodore Roosevelt and is now expected to arrive sooner than initially planned.

The U.S. military had previously announced plans to deploy additional fighter aircraft and warships to the region, reinforcing Israeli defenses amid concerns of potential retaliatory actions by Iran. The escalation follows the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh, the political leader of Hamas, in Tehran on July 31, and the killing of Fuad Shukr, a senior Hezbollah military commander, in Beirut by Israeli forces.

The situation in Gaza remains volatile, with recent Israeli airstrikes resulting in the deaths of at least 90 people at a school-turned-shelter, further intensifying fears of a broader regional conflict. (ILKHA)