One submarine Ohio-class submarines, a type of vessel that can be equipped with advanced ballistic missiles or Tomahawk cruise missiles, have arrived in the Mediterranean as the US continues to strengthen its defense posture amid Israel-Hamas war.
CENTCOM, the Defense Department’s warfighting command that has authority over US forces in the Middle East and West and Central Asia, posted a photo of the submarine on Sunday to X, formerly Twitter, confirming that it had arrived in the region, according to Business Insider.
Revealing the location of the submarine is important, as the location of the vessels is usually kept secret for security areas.
The CENTCOM photo appears to show the vessel sailing through the Suez Canal. The Suez Canal passes through Egypt, which borders Israel, and connects the Mediterranean and the Red Sea.
The Israeli News Agency Ynet said the nuclear-powered submarine newly deployed in the area is the largest of 14 ballistic submarines controlled by the US Navy and equipped with ballistic munitions.
Insider was unable to independently verify the exact presence of the weapons on board. Still, in total, the fleet of two dozen nuclear-capable submarines carries about half of all US strategic thermonuclear warheads.
It remains unclear whether the submarine sailed to the area in response to new information suggesting its use may be necessary, or if the move was previously planned as part of the current US defensive military posture in the Middle East.
It is noted that the US has already sent two aircraft carriers, the USS Gerald Ford and the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower, to the Mediterranean.
Source: News Beast
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