U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has said that he has ordered the Ford carrier strike group to sail to the Eastern Mediterranean to be ready to assist Israel during the current conflict.
The following is the statement from Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III on U.S. Force Posture Changes in the Middle East.
“My thoughts continue to be with the people of Israel and the many families who have lost loved ones as a result of the abhorrent terrorist attack by Hamas. Today, in response to this Hamas attack on Israel, and following detailed discussions with President Biden, I have directed several steps to strengthen Department of Defense posture in the region to bolster regional deterrence efforts.
I have directed the movement of the USS Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group to the Eastern Mediterranean. This includes the U.S. Navy aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78), the Ticonderoga-class guided missile cruiser USS Normandy (CG 60), as well as the Arleigh-Burke-class guided missile destroyers USS Thomas Hudner (DDG 116), USS Ramage (DDG 61), USS Carney (DDG 64), and USS Roosevelt (DDG 80). We have also taken steps to augment U.S. Air Force F-35, F-15, F-16, and A-10 fighter aircraft squadrons in the region. The U.S. maintains ready forces globally to further reinforce this deterrence posture if required.
In addition, the United States government will be rapidly providing the Israel Defense Forces with additional equipment and resources, including munitions. The first security assistance will begin moving today and arriving in the coming days.
Strengthening our joint force posture, in addition to the materiel support that we will rapidly provide to Israel, underscores the United States’ ironclad support for the Israel Defense Forces and the Israeli people. My team and I will continue to be in close contact with our Israeli counterparts to ensure they have what they need to protect their citizens and defend themselves against these heinous terrorist attacks.”
Why are hate crime laws not being used against those people in Acton celebrating these terrorist mass murders in Israel?
We have pro Palestinian marches happening here in Sydney too and some supporters are clearly happy even delighted over all the killings. What an absolutely perverted level of thinking to any sane human being. The religious and ethnic hatred must run deep. Awful for the civilians of both sides. Shocking to watch from the comfort our TV’s, phones and homes.
remember the military Easter Uprising in Dublin in 1916 ?
No one remembers the 310 civilians who died ( plus 140 military and police) as its the leaders of that event are celebrated today
When Britain executed the ring leaders after a court martial there was an uproar over their deaths, especially in US and civilian deaths forgotten.
Its political-military events where partisan viewpoint will decide which events to focus on.
The uproar in the US and elsewhere had to do with the fact that the court-martials were held in secret with no defense allowed and commanders of British troops involved in suppressing the uprising were involved in the trials. Oh, and the trials were later declared illegal. And why mention that most of the civilian deaths were the result of indiscriminate British artillery fire. How dare that people get upset over this, especially in the US.
Martial law was declared so all civil rights were suspended – for every one. The artillery fire wasnt indiscriminate, under the circumstances, this was 1916 there was limited accuracy for this sort of light artillery – remember the IRA was holed up in major buildings of various kinds. Its accepted now that the blame is placed on those who began a war or rebellion not those resisting it. See Ukraine 2022. The only legal quibble was the trails were secret , but that wouldnt change much for those condemned to death (around 90) 82% had the sentence commuted. They were… Read more »
And the US hanged a number of people for treason…infact they at one point managed to hang a Mexican citizen on Mexican soil for treason against the US..during the American occupation of Mexico…they even hung one poor man for ripping down a U.S. flag…..As for the Easter rising..in law these were British citizens who incited and undertook an armed rebellion in a time of war….no nation would have done anything other than condemn for treason these it’s own citizens who were in armed revolution, who fired on and killed solders..infact the UK arrested 3000 rebel fighters…the only 15 rebels were… Read more »
Okay it’s not us, but thank goodness the US has these assets in the right place.
We have a static aircraft carrier in RAF Akrotiri not far off. Would be nice to see us supporting Israel from the air too
As a guess id assume US has moved assets to Cyprus too.
Why would we support Israel ? they have pretty much 100% always looked after there own interests first and formost. Take the Russia and Ukraine conflict as the latest example
Some commentators must have Prussian ancestry – any war will do, but not my family sent into a combat zone
I was a bit surprised with the PM statement going as far as he did with supper for Israel. It sounded like the U.K. would help militarily if required.
On the .gov website
The Prime Minister spoke to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu this afternoon, following deadly attacks by Hamas against Israel. He reaffirmed that the UK will stand with Israel unequivocally against these acts of terror. The Prime Minister offered Prime Minister Netanyahu any support Israel needs
That’s diplomatic support…especially with the western aligned Arab nations that are going to bet twitched at the number of civil casualties that will inevitably occur in Gaza.
We don’t really have that sort of relationship with Israel. Friendly and cordial yes….military intervention on behalf of no….Sharing intel related to the direct security of that nation…yes as long as it does not compromise our own interests….Isreal does not need military support in this it needs nations to show solidarity and cut it some slack for what is going to be an intervention into Gaza that will be heavy with civilian casualties…and to proved a bit of top cover on the international stage ( with Arab nations we have influence with).
It seems unlikely that either air support from Akrotiri or the Ford would really add anything, given the capabilities that Israel already has.
What is an aircraft carrier air wing going to so against an insurgency type situation.
Its just political theatre
It’s a presence and a sign of intent to use if necessary. Not sure if I like the word “theatre” but you’re right, this attack has certainly grabbed the world’s attention off from Ukraine and other places of conflict going on right now. It’s as if we’ve all switched channels for the moment.
Its not mentioned that Gaza is under Israeli land, sea and air blockade- some limited access into Israel for local work
How ungrateful Hamas attack their powerful neighbour and dont accept being a subjugate peoples
How understanding the world is that Isreal expands its settlements into Palestinian territory in the west bank- invasion by moving your people to displace the locals and vowing never to leave
I think we’ll have to leave the historical background to this conflict to the experts and those that really know to make an informed comment here. The attacking of unarmed civilians, in anyone’s language, is evil, cowardly and unfortunately might get an equally awful and justified by the victims, response. Religion, humanity, socusl order, gone, thrown out or blown out of the window.
Sounds like you want to ignore the historical facts ( left to experts ?, doesnt need expert to state the obvious) and concentrate on your favourite talking point ( horrendous as that may be )
No, not at all. It’s easy to take sides, even if intellectually and both sides will have their rights and wrongs. I personally don’t like Israeli-Jew bashing or Arab bashing for that matter and i know extremely little of the history of this region and conflict. In terms of truth and facts, they will sooner or later come out regardless of one’s own opinions. Locally we’ve just had a huge pro Palestinian rally here in Sydney overnight and some of the commentary was just so not called for and called out by our PM. We’ could get a counter rally… Read more »
ROFLMAO, it’s endlessly mentioned! The reason Hamas attacks is to repeat that message and to whip up anti-Israel sentiment. I’ve seen more Palestinian spokespeople on UK TV over the last three days than I’ve seen over the last ten years. You are right about limited work permits into Israel, although I doubt there are any of those at the moment, and you should also mention that Gazans can cross into Egypt at any time… for a price. The Gazan blockade is caused by the attacks, not the other way around. Before 2000 and the second intifada, there was no blockade… Read more »
But then Hamas. Like any tyrant, once they get power they do all they can to make sure they don’t lose it. The citizens of Gaza suffer again. Isreal also suffers. Who gains and what do they gain?
I would say it’s a message to state actors not Hamas.
I look at it as a warning to Iran and others to stay out or the US will get involved.
Unless I’m missing something isn’t this just a Political show of support ? It’s the the standard go to reaction of all US Presidents to most threats (specially in an election year). Send a Carrier group to the Taiwan Straits, carry out a freedom of navigation cruise in the South China Sea, Straits of Hormuz etc etc etc. Looks good, plays well on TV and displays true Presidential resolve and leadership of the free world. Yep that’s me being a Cynic 😉 And in practicable use, in this case it’s as much use as a Chocolate Fireguard ! Can anyone… Read more »
Handy to have a US carrier group there, in case Lebanon, Syria and/or Iran get involved.
Was in Split in the 90’s, when the USMC did a practice invasion of the Croatian coast. There was an armada of ships, including two LHDs and some LPDs off on the horizon with a flurry of Huey, Cobra and Sea Knight helicopter activity. Along with the LCACs racing to shore and the snails pace lumbering AAVs. But what did stand out the most, was the battleship cruising up and down just behind the LHDs. I can’t remember which one it was, but it was huge! We also knew that the Nimitz was somewhere behind the horizon, as we were… Read more »
I think the battleship you referred to is the New Jersey (BB-62) that was reactivated a second time in the early 80’s. A few years ago when visting some friends near Philadelphia we visited the museum ship.
Even though most of her modernized equipment has been ripped out she is still very impressive, definitely worth visiting if you get a chance, as are the other Iowa Class BBs you can visit.
Those 16″ guns are hard to argue against, even today. A couple of them off the coast made a statement that is probably only matched by a carrier.
Feb 1991 was when NJ was finally taken out of service
It was definitely pre-1995 when we went as part of UNPROFOR.
Just a side note-I worked with a Lebanonese engineer (US Navy, Mare Island Shipyard). He had a story that as a little boy he’d bring milk into town (maybe Beirut) carrying it on his burro, Blackey. Anyway, one night the Battleship was lobbing shells which passed over their farm. One of the rounds landed short and hit the paddock where Blackey was kept. No remains were found. I asked him if he submitted a claim and he just laughed and said who too? I think those shells are between 1500 and 2000 lb.
It’s more of a message to the neighbouring peer actors. Namely Iran.
Agree if the USN are going to hit anyone it will be Iran .
A Gulf war will triple fuel prices, maybe higher with massive shortages .
I amazed you arent ruling this out
Let’s hope it doesn’t go there because that’s the last thing we need ,but if the USA is pushed ?
Its also a deterrence against Hezbollah in Lebanon. and yes Iran… I’d love to see all Iranian assets in Syria wiped out. They’re the one pulling the strings of all these groups around the middle east. Syria, hamas, hezbollah, yemen… and lets not forget who else benefits from the world’s focus shifting back to the middle east- Russia. and who is Russia best buddies with? Iran. a contingent of Hamas leaders were in Russia last week (unless that was fake news, i could be wrong)- were they promised anything by Russia for launching this attack? now we have the US… Read more »
This was about what US intervention might do with a carrier.
Isarel has refused the Two state solution they agreed too and continued to build and take land outside its borders for its own citizens.
That doesnt justify the atrocity’s but the core of the problem is because Israel was created the way it was because of what was Europes problem
The US carrier fleet really are the sharp spear tip of US foreign policy. Something kicks off and the first question from a US president is “where is the nearest carrier?”
Not surprising a single carrier battle group has more firepower then most sovereign nations.
So military intervention has been a good thing, bomb the locals that sort of thing like its still 1920s
Israel didn’t ask for people coming across the Borader shooting and killing people and kidnapping old age pensions and kids ,how would you feel if it was a member of your family.I have no doubt you would want to hit back and yes sadly Locals get court up in it and have nothing to do with it .What type of intervention do you think would work with people fireing AK47s etc.Do you think they just want to talk. 🙄
there is nothing wrong with deterrence. if a carrier group can keep hezbollah from doing anything that saves a lot of lives for everyone,
I’ve never really quite ‘got the point’ with western support of the Israelis: some of the historical IDF set pieces have been brilliant feats – Sharon’s crossing of the Suez Canal and the defence of the Golan Heights during Yom Kippur, the destruction of the Egyptian air force and capture of Jerusalem in 1967, the legendary Raid on Entebbe…. just for starters. But then there’s the deficits – the terrorist campaign against the British forces in Palestine in the late 1940s, the pre-Yom Kippur over-confidence that lead to a critical situation, the endless counter-insurgency campaigns since 1982 that guarantee neither… Read more »
Looks like the US is sending a second Carrier strike group, the USS Eisenhower
The Eisenhower Strike group is enroute to the Med
America sending a big message to Arab states in the eastern Mediterranean.
Is it needed… most likely, if only to keep Israel on a leash, as if I were an Israeli, I would be baying for blood blood and more blood.
The newly formed Littoral Response Group (South) is being deployed to the Eastern Med. Conveniently its already at Gibraltar, en-route to the Indian Ocean. It consists of RFA Argus and RFA Lyme Bay, a company from 40 Commando, and three Merlin HC4’s.
We have two super carries with 8 planes between them, and not enough escorts for two carrier groups.