This will be the third time Ford’s deployment has been extended, highlighting ongoing American concerns about volatility in the region during the Israeli war on Gaza.
The United States has two aircraft carriers in the region, which is a rarity in recent years.
Several US officials confirmed the longer deployments approved this week for the carrier Ford and the cruiser USS Normandy, on condition of anonymity because they have not yet been announced.
The deployment of other ships in the Ford strike group has already been extended.
The Pentagon intensified its military presence in the region after the Hamas attacks on October 7, to deter Iran from expanding the war into a regional conflict.
In the weeks that followed, Iranian-backed factions in Iraq and Syria took advantage of the war to launch regular attacks with missiles, drones, and missiles on American military installations in both countries.
At the same time, US warships in the Red Sea intercepted missiles launched by the Houthis towards Israel, and US forces also shot down attack drones heading towards the ships, and responded to calls for assistance from commercial ships that were subjected to ongoing Houthi attacks near the Bab al-Mandab Strait.
As of Friday, there are 19 American warships in the region, including 7 in the eastern Mediterranean and 12 others extending south of the Red Sea.
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2023-12-16 07:27:39
