United States Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin (pictured) ordered on Sunday for the Ford carrier strike group to provide assistance to Israel in the Eastern Mediterranean in response to Hamas' recent attack.
The USS Gerald R. Ford, comprising 5,000 sailors, warplanes, and cruisers, will be deployed to demonstrate force against Hamas and intercept any weapons intended for them while also conducting surveillance operations.
The deployment is indicative of the United States' deep concern in deterring further escalation as the Israeli government officially declared it as a state of war.
