US’s 2nd aircraft carrier in the Mediterranean
US to send 2nd aircraft carrier to eastern Mediterranean; USS Eisenhower will join the USS Ford off the coast of Israel
ABC News by Martha Raddatz and Luis Martinez • October 15, 2023
The Pentagon has ordered a second aircraft carrier strike group to the eastern Mediterranean near Israel to deter Iran or Hezbollah from joining the Israel-Hamas conflict, according to US officials.
A senior US official and a US official told ABC News that the USS Eisenhower carrier strike group will be ordered to the eastern Mediterranean to join the USS Gerald R Ford carrier strike group that arrived there earlier this week and is in international waters off of Israel.
A Pentagon spokesperson did not immediately have a comment on the development.
Senior US officials have said publicly this week that the presence of the USS Ford carrier strike group in the eastern Mediterranean and the addition of more US Air Force fighter jets to the region was intended to show the US commitment to Israel and to serve as a deterrent to Iran and Hezbollah not to get involved in the Israel-Hamas conflict.
“These posture increases were intended to serve as an unequivocal demonstration in deed and not only in words of US support for Israel’s defense and serve as a deterrent signal to Iran, Lebanese Hezbollah, and any other proxy across the region who might be considering exploiting the current situation to escalate conflict,” a senior US defense official said Monday. “Those adversaries should think twice.”
Having the Eisenhower joining the Ford will increase the show of force enhancing that message of deterrence.
The Eisenhower strike group left Norfolk, Virginia, earlier on Saturday bound for a previously scheduled deployment that would take it to the Middle East via the Mediterranean Sea where it was to participate in previously-scheduled exercises in the US European Command area of responsibility.
Its pending deployment led to speculation that it might be deployed to the eastern Mediterranean to join the USS Ford, but a Pentagon statement would only say that Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin would “continue to review both the Eisenhower and Ford’s deployment plans as he considers the appropriate balance of maritime capability across theaters in support of national security priorities.”
The Eisenhower strike group includes the aircraft carrier USS Eisenhower and the guided missile cruiser USS Philippine Sea (CG-58), and the guided missile destroyers USS Laboon (DDG-58), USS Mason (DDG-87) and USS Gravely (DDG-107).
The USS Ford strike group arrived in the waters of the eastern Mediterranean on Tuesday and in addition to the carrier includes the cruiser USS Normandy (CG 60), as well as destroyers USS Thomas Hudner (DDG 116), USS Ramage (DDG 61), USS Carney (DDG 64), and USS Roosevelt (DDG 80).
“Woe to the crown of pride, to the drunkards of Ephraim, whose glorious beauty is a fading flower, which is on the head of the fat valleys of them that are overcome with wine!” Isaiah 28:1
For more, see
“Judah’s Sceptre and Joseph’s Birthright” by JH Allen
More on (1) Ephraim / The United States; (2) Ephraim and Manasseh
(3) Who is Ephraim, a Chronic Liar? (4) The Ox without the Unicorn
Joel
A Prophecy of Esau and Jacob 