USS Wasp, Marines enter Mediterranean amid Israel-Hezbollah tensions
By Tara Copp
Jun 30, 2024, 12:30 PM
The amphibious assault ship USS Wasp entered the eastern Mediterranean Sea this week as the U.S. positions warships to try to keep fighting between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon from escalating into a wider war in the Middle East.
While the Wasp has the capability to assist in the evacuation of civilians if full-scale war breaks out between Israel and the Iranian-backed militant group along the Lebanon border, that’s not the primary reason it was rotated in, a U.S. official said.
“It’s about deterrence,” the official said.
A second U.S. official said the rotation is similar to the U.S. sending the USS Bataan assault ship into the waters around Israel shortly after Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack, with the vessel remaining for months in the eastern Mediterranean to help provide options and try to contain the conflict. The officials spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive operational details.
https://www.militarytimes.com/news/your-navy/2024/06/30/uss-wasp-marines-enter-mediterranean-amid-israel-hezbollah-tensions/
