NEW YORK, November 7. /TASS/. The US nuclear submarine Florida has entered the Persian Gulf in a show of force and as a deterrent to Iran, Bloomberg reported, citing US defense officials.

The submarine, although nuclear powered, doesn’t carry nuclear weapons, the report said. The Florida can carry as many as 154 Tomahawk missiles or as many as 66 Navy SEAL commandos.

US National Security Council Coordinator for Strategic Communications John Kirby said on November 6 that the US had sent an Ohip-class submarine to the Middle East to ensure the safety of US forces in the Middle East. He didn’t say which submarine was deployed or where in the Middle East it was heading to.

Before that, the US Central Command said on X (formerly Twitter) that an Ohio-class submarine arrived in the command’s area of responsibility on November 5.

Pentagon Spokesman Pat Ryder said on October 31 that the US will be sending to the Central Command region 300 troops. He didn’t indicate exactly where they will be deployed, except for saying it will not be Israel.