Operation Al-Aqsa Flood
When the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) and Palestinian factions breached the border fence surrounding the Gaza Strip, the United States took steps to help Israel, sending their aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald Ford, to the White Sea. US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said they want to strengthen regional deterrence in the eastern Mediterranean. They also decided to provide ammunition and equipment to Israel to respond to Hamas attacks.
Heading to Cyprus
On October 23, satellites spotted the USS Gerald Ford near the island of Cyprus. It was accompanied by three other naval vessels. Pretty cool, right?
Another Aircraft Carrier
Guess what? The United States was so prepared for the USS Gerald Ford's arrival that they sent another aircraft carrier called the USS Eisenhower on October 15. They wanted to deter any hostilities against Israel. These aircraft carriers are like floating cities, with lots of planes and weapons on board!
Strong Presence in the Middle East
When the USS Gerald Ford arrived in the eastern Mediterranean on November 5, it came with a whole group of other ships. There was a guided-missile cruiser called USS Philippine Sea, two guided-missile destroyers named USS Gravely and USS Mason, and even an air wing with nine aircraft squadrons. That's a lot of firepower!
Keeping the Peace
The American officials said that they sent these aircraft carriers to deter any other parties from joining the conflict. They were especially worried about Lebanese Hezbollah and Iran. But get this, they also mentioned that they might evacuate civilians if needed. Safety first!
Attacks in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden
While all this was happening, there were some attacks on Israeli-owned commercial ships passing through the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. On November 19, a group called Ansar Allah Houthi in Yemen seized a ship called Galaxy Leader owned by an Israeli businessman. They said they would target any ships with the Israeli flag or owned by Israeli companies. Yikes!
Then, on November 22, US Central Command reported that two ballistic missiles were launched towards a US naval destroyer in the Gulf of Aden. Luckily, the missiles fell into the water without causing any damage.
Dealing with Pirates
The USS Mason team arrested five people who were believed to be Somalis after they tried to seize a tanker called Central Park. The attackers tried to escape, but the USS Mason tracked them down and they eventually surrendered. The Pentagon called it an "operation related to piracy." Sounds like something out of a movie!
So, The American fleet has been busy supporting Israel and keeping the peace in the Middle East. It's fascinating to see how different countries work together to protect each other. Stay curious and keep learning!
