(DEFENCE SECURITY ASIA) — The Iranian Navy has disclosed visuals taken from its drones, capturing the movements of the US nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, USS Dwight D. Eisenhower, and other warships in the Persian Gulf.
The Iranian Navy claims that the recordings demonstrate Tehran’s efforts to “deter” and impede US warships from operating in the Persian Gulf.
According to the official Iranian news agency, IRNA, Commander of the Iranian Navy, Shahram Irani, stated that they intend to “deter” US warships from operating in the region, asserting that their presence aims to “aggravate” the situation.
Irani added, “Soon, we will drive them (US warships) out of this region.”
The Biden administration has deployed two aircraft carriers, USS Gerald R. Ford and USS Dwight D. Eisenhower, to the Middle East. The stated objective, as mentioned by US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, is to ensure that the conflict between Hamas and Israel does not escalate across the entire Middle East.
Deploying two nuclear-powered aircraft carriers to a single operational area simultaneously is an uncommon action for the United States during peacetime.
The US Secretary of Defense reportedly directed the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford and another warship, USS Normandy, to extend their operations in the Mediterranean Sea for several more weeks.
This move is aimed at maintaining the presence of two aircraft carriers near Israel as the conflict with Hamas continues, according to US military officials.
It marks the third extension of the deployment of USS Gerald R. Ford, highlighting US concerns about the turmoil in the region following the armed conflict between Israel and Palestine in the Gaza Strip.
At present, there are 19 US warships in the Middle East, including seven in the eastern Mediterranean and 12 in the Arabian Sea, Red Sea, and Persian Gulf.
The aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower is currently operating in the Gulf of Oman alongside the cruiser USS Philippine Sea.
Additionally, three other destroyer warships—USS Carney, USS Stethem, and USS Mason—are operating near the Bab el-Mandeb strait daily to address and prevent Houthi group attacks on commercial ships. — DSA