Amid the Israel-Hamas war, the US military has announced the entry of a guided missile submarine into the Middle East,
a rare move directed at regional adversaries, primarily those backed by Iran. The subs can be equipped with advanced ballistic or Tomahawk cruise missiles.
US Central Command on Sunday (Nov 5) declared on social media that an Ohio-class submarine entered its area of responsibility even as Secretary of State Antony Blinken tours the region.
Blinken has so far visited Israel, the West Bank, Turkey, Iraq, Jordan and Cyprus in his second trip to the region since the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war.
The Ohio-class is a set of nuclear-powered submarines that can carry up to 24 Trident II D5 nuclear missiles.
These submarines are known for their stealth and ability to operate quietly beneath the ocean’s surface, which renders them undetectable to adversaries.
Rare announcement It is not usual for the US to announce the movement of its strategic assets like submarines in the area. In fact, American nuclear subs operate in near complete secrecy.
Through this move, the US might want to send a clear message to Iranian proxies in the region, who have of late issued threats of a wider conflict in the area if the Jewish nation fails to roll back its ongoing assault on Gaza.
The US has already witnessed low-level attacks on its assets in Iraq and Syria. Clearly, Washington DC looks in no mood to let Iranian proxies have their way in the conflict.
US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin had earlier announced that his nation would be reinforcing its security assets in the Middle East and also Israel.