October 10, 2023
… 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.
United States Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin announcing U.S. military aid being sent to Israel following the weekend’s attacks by Hamas.
Why It Matters: U.S. Defense Secretary Austin ordered “the largest and most technologically advanced aircraft carrier in the world,” the USS Gerald R. Ford, to sail to the Eastern Mediterranean to be prepared to assist Israel. The Gerald R. Ford was commissioned in 2017, and was called to support Israel during the Navy carrier’s first full deployment. The announcement came one day after Hamas, a U.S.-designated foreign terrorist organization, opened fire on Israel in what has been formally declared a war by the Israeli government.
The USS Gerald R. Ford carrier will be accompanied by its “approximately 5,000 sailors and deck of warplanes,” as well other warships, The Associated Press reports, noting that this “large deployment reflects a U.S. desire to deter any regional expansion of the conflict.”
Read More:
The US will send a carrier strike group to the Eastern Mediterranean in support of Israel (The Associated Press)
US to send military ships, aircraft closer to Israel (Reuters)
U.S. Department of Defense: Statement From Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III on U.S. Force Posture Changes in the Middle East
by Emily Hooker, based in Texas
