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The Pentagon has confirmed that the deployment of the USS Theodore Roosevelt in the Middle East has been extended due to escalating tensions between Israel and Hezbollah.
Let’s bring you up to speed: The USS Theodore Roosevelt was initially deployed from San Diego in January for a mission in the Indo-Pacific region. However, in late June, the aircraft carrier and its strike group were redirected to the Middle East to relieve the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower, marking a shift in its mission to address growing tensions in the region.
What’s happening now: Due to escalating tensions, Pentagon spokesman Air Force Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said, “Given the tensions in the Middle East and given our commitment to continue to support Israel’s defense and deter potential aggression, the secretary did order an extension of Theodore Roosevelt carrier strike group.” He added, “We will do everything we can to ensure we can meet our national security commitments, while also at the same time managing the finite resources that we do have around the world.”
Tensions simmer over the weekend: Over the weekend, tensions between Israel and Hezbollah escalated. Israel launched preemptive strikes on Saturday, prompting Hezbollah to respond with drone and missile attacks. Reports indicate that the US and Israel had intelligence that Hezbollah was planning a major attack on Israel at 5 AM. Israel’s strikes occurred just 20 minutes before the rockets were set to launch. Hezbollah claimed its attacks were in retaliation for the assassination of one of its top officials, Fuad Shukr. The majority of the attacks were thwarted, with no casualties reported in Israel. It’s unclear how many casualties were in Lebanon.
Status of ceasefire talks: Despite rising tensions, the United States remains hopeful that a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas is still possible. According to CNN, citing a senior US official, mediators recently discussed the “final details” of a potential agreement that could lead to the release of hostages held by Hamas and prisoners held by Israel.
