US shifts aircraft carrier away from Middle East: Pentagon

By Diyar Guldogan

WASHINGTON (AA) - One of two US aircraft carriers deployed to the Middle East to deter Iran from attacking Israel departed the region, the Pentagon said Thursday.

"US forces in the region include, but aren’t limited to, an amphibious ready group and marine expeditionary unit, multiple destroyers, fighter aircraft and carrier strike group presence,” Press Secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder told reporters.

"Of note, following a period of dual carrier coverage by the Theodore Roosevelt CSG (Carrier Strike Group) and the Abraham Lincoln CSG in the CENTCOM region, the Theodore Roosevelt has departed and begun its transit into the Indo-Pacific command area of operations.”

Last month, the Pentagon announced that the US will deploy additional military assets to the Middle East ahead of possible retaliation by Iran against Israel for the assassination of Hamas political chief Ismail Haniyeh in the capital Tehran in late July.

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin ordered the USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group, equipped with F-35C fighters, to accelerate transit to the Central Command area of responsibility, adding to capabilities already provided by the USS Theodore Roosevelt Carrier Strike Group.

Additionally, he ordered the USS Georgia (SSGN 729) guided missile submarine to the Central Command region. According to Ryder, the Georgia transited to the CENTCOM area of responsibility.

"We are going to take any potential threats very seriously. And again, Iran has indicated that they want to retaliate against Israel, and so we're going to continue to take that threat very seriously and we're going to continue to maintain a robust presence in the Central Command and European Command AORs," Ryder said when asked whether the threat from Iran to Israel is less than it was a month ago.

The US remains intensely focused on working with regional partners to deescalate tensions and deterring a wider regional conflict, he said.

Tensions are running high in the Middle East following Haniyeh’s assassination. Hours earlier, Israel killed Hezbollah commander Fuad Shukr in Beirut.

Iran has vowed "harsh punishment" for Israel for Haniyeh’s killing on Iranian soil.

The escalation comes amid an ongoing Israeli offensive against the Gaza Strip which has killed more than 41,100 Palestinians following an attack on Oct. 7 last year by Hamas that killed 1,139 Israelis.