WASHINGTON, October 12. /TASS/. A second US Navy aircraft carrier, the Dwight D. Eisenhower, will be dispatched to eastern Mediterranean waters near the Israeli coast, White House National Security Council Coordinator for Strategic Communications John Kirby said at a regular press briefing.
"As you also know, the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford and her strike group are now in the Eastern Mediterranean. They arrived yesterday. They are there for deterrence purposes to make it clear to any would-be actor, organization, group, terrorist network, nation-state — anybody who thinks that, with hostile intent towards Israel — that this is the time to widen and expand the conflict that we will take our national security interests seriously," he said.
"I would also note that the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower aircraft carrier and her strike group will be departing on a prescheduled — long-scheduled deployment to the European Command area of responsibility. They’ll start that deployment in the coming week or so. They will be going initially across the Atlantic and into the Mediterranean, where they will be available if needed," he went on.
"I’ve seen some press reporting out there that — that we’ve already made some kind of final decision that a second carrier is going to be placed in the Eastern Med. No operational decisions like that have been made, but she will be heading in that direction, her ships will be with her, and she certainly will be an available asset if needed," Kirby added.
"We’re sending a loud and clear message: The United States is ready to take action should any actor hostile to Israel consider trying to escalate or widen this war," he stressed.
The Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday, citing Pentagon officials, that the United States is considering sending the aircraft carrier Dwight Eisenhower to the shores of Israel.
Tensions flared up again in the Middle East on October 7 when Palestinian militants from the Hamas movement attacked Israeli territory from the Gaza Strip. According to the latest official data, over 1,000 Palestinians have been killed since the renewed outbreak of violence, while over 5,500 have suffered wounds. In Israel, up to 1,500 people have lost their lives and almost 4,000 have been wounded. Hamas described its operation as a response to the aggressive actions of the Israeli authorities against the Al-Aqsa Mosque in the Old City of Jerusalem. Israel has declared a state of readiness for war and announced a total blockade of the Gaza Strip.