The Pentagon announced on Sunday that U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin had ordered the deployment of an guided missile submarine in the Middle East. This comes as the region prepares for possible attacks from Iran and its allies following the death of senior Hamas and Hezbollah members.

According to a U.S. Military post on social media in July, the USS Georgia was already in Mediterranean Sea. It was rare to announce the deployment of submarines publicly.

The Pentagon released a statement following Austin's conversation with his Israeli counterpart. Austin ordered that the Abraham Lincoln Strike Group accelerate its deployment in the region.

The statement continued, "Secretary Austin reaffirmed the United States commitment to take all possible steps to defend Israel. He also noted the strengthening U.S. military forces posture and capabilities in the Middle East as a result of the escalating tensions throughout the region."

The U.S. Military had already announced that it would deploy additional fighter planes and Navy warships in the Middle East to strengthen Israeli defenses.

Ismail Haniyeh was killed in Tehran, Iran's capital, on 31 July. The attack prompted Iran to threaten revenge against Israel for its fight with the Palestinian Islamists in Gaza. Iran blamed Israel. Israel has not claimed responsibility.

Israel's assassination of Fuad Shukr in Beirut and his death by Israel, a senior commander in the Iran-backed Lebanese Hezbollah group, has fueled fears that the Gaza conflict could turn into a larger Middle East war.

Iran claims that the U.S. is responsible for the murder of Haniyeh due to its support of Israel.

Reports said that several U.S. personnel and members of the coalition were injured in a drone strike on Friday, Syria. This was the second major attack against U.S. troops in recent days amid rising tensions in Middle East. Reporting by Idrees Al and Phil Stewart, Editing by Michael Perry

(source: Reuters)