Israel – Palestine Conflict: United States Deploys World’s Biggest Aircraft Carrier, Gerald R. Ford, Dispatches F-35 Stealth Fighters To Aid Israel
The world’s largest aircraft carrier and some of the best US fighter jets have been dispatched to help Israel after being caught off guard by a massive attack by Hamas over the weekend.
The USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier strike group is being dispatched by the US Navy to the Eastern Mediterranean in response to the intensifying conflict between Israel and Palestinian militants from Hamas. The announcement was made by the US Central Command (CENTCOM).
A statement published by CENTCOM read, “The United States has begun moving USS Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group to the Eastern Mediterranean. This includes the US Navy aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78), the Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Normandy (CG 60), as well as the Arleigh-Burke-class guided missile destroyers USS Thomas Hudner (DDG 116), USS Ramage (DDG 61), USS Carney (DDG 64), and USS Roosevelt (DDG 80).”
The US Secretary of Defense, Lloyd Austin, said that the deployment was part of several measures to bolster American military assets in the region. “Strengthening our joint force posture, in addition to the material support that we will rapidly provide to Israel, underscores the United States’ ironclad support for the Israel Defense Forces and the Israeli people,” he said in a statement.
The USS Gerald R. Ford is widely regarded as the United States’ most technologically advanced aircraft carrier. It is the world’s largest ship as it boasts impressive dimensions, measuring approximately 1,092 feet (333 meters) in length, with a beam of 256 feet (78 meters) at its flight deck and a height of 250 feet (76 meters).
The United States government will be rapidly providing the Israel Defense Forces with additional equipment and resources, including munitions,” US Defense Secretary Austin said. “The first security assistance will begin moving today and arriving in the coming days.”
As reports surfaced on social media after the US announced the deployment of its carrier strike group, Hamas retorted, saying that the presence of the carrier would not make a difference to their operations against Israel. Besides Hamas, the Lebanon-based Hezbollah group also launched fires at Israel, triggering alarms of a regional conflict.
Some unconfirmed reports on social media stated that Hamas has warned against the deployment and noted that at around 350 kilometers from Lebanon, the carrier group may be within the range of anti-ship missiles fired by Hezbollah.
Day 3 Of The Conflict: What’s Happening In Israel?
On October 7, Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel, casting doubt on the efficacy of the country’s vaunted intelligence network. The militants breached the borders and infiltrated Israeli territory, burning tanks along the border area and carrying out savage attacks on civilians on the streets.
The militants also took several civilians hostage and took them over to Gaza, including civilians from other countries. The attack was followed by a declaration of war by Israel for the first time in over 50 years, leading to the country dispatching its warplanes to bomb the besieged Gaza Strip, which remains under a blockade imposed by Tel Aviv.
A gun battle in southern Israel between the two sides also began shortly after.
Overnight, “more than 500 strategic targets” were hit in the Gaza Strip, according to the Israeli army. On the social media site X, it was reported that fighter jets, helicopters, and artillery units participated in the attacks on Islamic Jihad and Hamas targets.
“The skies over Gaza are full of Israeli fighter jets and drones. Some towns in the Gaza Strip, in particular Beit Hanoon [known as Erez to Israelis], has seen non-stop bombardment for more than an hour,” according to an Al Jazeera reporter who is reporting live from the Gaza City.
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. Adapted from The EurAsian Times
