US sending aircraft carrier, warships and fighter squadron to Middle East as region braces for Iranian retaliation
Oren Liebermann
By Oren Liebermann, CNN
CNN —
The US is sending a carrier strike group, a fighter squadron and additional warships to the Middle East as the region braces for an Iranian retaliation to the killing of a senior Hamas leader in Tehran earlier this week.
It is perhaps the largest movement of US forces to the region since the early days of the Gaza war, when the Pentagon sent two carrier strike groups toward the Middle East in a very public warning to regional militant groups not to expand the fighting.
Israel says it is ready for “range of scenarios” following the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh in Iran. Israelis have been stocking up on supplies, airlines have cancelled flights and travel warnings are in place with the region on alert for an Iranian response.
“We’ve heard the Supreme Leader loud and clear that he intends to avenge this killing of a Hamas leader in Tehran, and that they want to conduct another attack on Israel,” John Kirby, the strategic communications coordinator for the National Security Council, told CNN. “We can’t just assume that we are also potentially going to be victims of that kind of an attack, so we’ve got to make sure we’ve got the right resources and capabilities in the region.”
Ismail Haniyeh arriving for the inauguration of the new Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Tuesday.
Related article Iran has no good options after two deadly strikes on senior allies
On Friday, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin ordered the USS Abraham Lincoln strike group to replace the USS Theodore Roosevelt strike group, which is currently operating in the Gulf of Oman, according to a statement from Pentagon deputy press secretary Sabrina Singh.
Oren Liebermann
By Oren Liebermann, CNN
CNN —
The US is sending a carrier strike group, a fighter squadron and additional warships to the Middle East as the region braces for an Iranian retaliation to the killing of a senior Hamas leader in Tehran earlier this week.
It is perhaps the largest movement of US forces to the region since the early days of the Gaza war, when the Pentagon sent two carrier strike groups toward the Middle East in a very public warning to regional militant groups not to expand the fighting.
Israel says it is ready for “range of scenarios” following the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh in Iran. Israelis have been stocking up on supplies, airlines have cancelled flights and travel warnings are in place with the region on alert for an Iranian response.
“We’ve heard the Supreme Leader loud and clear that he intends to avenge this killing of a Hamas leader in Tehran, and that they want to conduct another attack on Israel,” John Kirby, the strategic communications coordinator for the National Security Council, told CNN. “We can’t just assume that we are also potentially going to be victims of that kind of an attack, so we’ve got to make sure we’ve got the right resources and capabilities in the region.”
Ismail Haniyeh arriving for the inauguration of the new Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Tuesday.
Related article Iran has no good options after two deadly strikes on senior allies
On Friday, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin ordered the USS Abraham Lincoln strike group to replace the USS Theodore Roosevelt strike group, which is currently operating in the Gulf of Oman, according to a statement from Pentagon deputy press secretary Sabrina Singh.
