US Deploys Second Aircraft Carrier Strike Group To Middle East

The US military has announced the deployment of another aircraft carrier strike group to the Middle East amidst the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas.

The decision to send the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower and accompanying warships to the Eastern Mediterranean comes in response to the invasion of thousands of Hamas militia into Israel on October 7. It resulted in the loss of at least 1,400 mostly civilian lives and at least 431 hostages taken to Gaza in the single most deadly day in Jewish history since the Holocaust.

The United States aims to support the USS Gerald Ford in the region to prevent further escalation of the conflict as US bases in Iraq and Syria have already come under fire from Iranian proxies in recent weeks.

In addition to the naval deployment, the United States has also dispatched over two thousand Marines to the Middle East. The Biden administration has consistently issued public warnings to Iran and its proxies to avoid escalating the conflict in the region. President Biden has directly conveyed his message to Iran and Hezbollah, emphasizing, "Don't. Don't. Don't. Don't."

According to a statement by US Central Command, the strike group is under the command of Carrier Strike Group 2 and is composed of the flagship aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower, guided-missile cruiser USS Philippine Sea, and guided-missile destroyers USS Mason as well as USS Gravely of Destroyer Squadron 22. Carrier Air Wing 3, with its nine squadrons, and the Information Warfare Commander are also part of the deployment.