US nuclear-capable submarine in West Asia amid war on Gaza

A US guided missile submarine has arrived in West Asia to join a number of other US Navy assets already in the region to “assist in the defense of Israel.”

The US military announced on social media Sunday that an Ohio-class submarine was entering the "US Central Command area of responsibility."

The message was accompanied by an image that appeared to show a submarine in the Suez Canal northeast of the Egyptian capital, Cairo.

Ohio-class subs are both nuclear-powered and capable of carrying nuclear warheads, although some carry only cruise missiles and are meant to deploy with special operations forces.

Since the social media post did not name the sub, it is unclear if the vessel is carrying nuclear ballistic missiles or cruise missiles.

The acknowledgment of an Ohio-class submarine location comes as the military rarely announces the movements or operations of its fleet of ballistic and guided-missile subs.

The move follows a readout of one of the regular calls between US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and Israel’s minister for military affairs, Yoav Gallant, on Sunday said the former “reaffirmed the US commitment to deter any state or non-state actor seeking to escalate this conflict.”

Austin has said the additional forces in the region were meant to “bolster regional deterrence efforts, increase force protection for US forces in the region, and assist in the defense of Israel.”

CIA Director William Burns, who traveled to Israel on Sunday, also reiterated he would be reinforcing the agency’s "commitment to intelligence cooperation" with Israel.

Since Israel launched its bombardment of the besieged Gaza Strip on October 7, President Joe Biden of the US has promised he would support the occupying regime by giving them “everything they need.”

Sources in the White House have previously expressed the intention of the president to support Israel with warships and an aircraft carrier in its relentless campaign.

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