The White House is warning that the United States assesses Iran could launch a retaliatory attack on Israel as early as "this week," and that the U.S. has to be prepared for an attack that could be "significant." https://trib.al/6PPx9Uf
WH warns of potentially significant attack on Israel could be coming very soon
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Iran issues chilling warning to Israel as WW3 fears grow
The Iranian government has dismissed appeals from three European nations to withdraw its threat of retaliation against Israel for the alleged assassination of Hamas' former political leader - issuing a chilling warning in response.Nasser Kanani, a spokesperson for Iran's Foreign Ministry, stated on Tuesday that calls for restraint from France, Germany, and the United Kingdom "lack political logic and contradict principles of international law."
This reaction came a day after three European leaders - French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer - issued a joint statement urging Iran and its proxies to abstain from any retaliatory attacks following the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran last month.
The leaders' joint statement clarified that a retaliatory attack would further escalate regional tensions with Israel and endanger the ongoing ceasefire and hostage negotiations.
The statement also praised the "tireless work" of Qatari, Egyptian, and US mediators to negotiate a ceasefire deal and the release of hostages held by Hamas.
It also emphasized the urgency of providing "unfettered" delivery and distribution of humanitarian aid to the hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians in the war-ravaged Gaza Strip.
However, Iran has rejected such requests from the Western leaders, accusing them of blatantly ignoring "crimes and terrorism" against Palestinians and in the Middle East committed by Israel.
Kanani, in a statement, was forthright about the stance of the mentioned countries on regional peace: "If the mentioned countries are really looking for peace and stability in the region, they should once and for all stand against the belligerence and adventurism of the apartheid Israeli regime, and immediately stop the war against Gaza and the odious and horrific slaughter of Palestinian women, children and defenselessness citizens,".
He didn't hold back when he spoke about the E3's approach towards Iran, saying: "Without any objection to the crimes of the Zionist regime, the E3 statement impudently requires Iran not to respond to a violation of its sovereignty and territorial integrity,".
Assertively, Kanani stated that Iran remains "firm" and "resolute" to protect its sovereignty and national security against attacks by Israel, which he accused of being the "real origin and main source of insecurity and terrorism in the region."
Although it has not been confirmed by Israel regarding responsibility for Haniyeh's death, the country's military is reportedly on high alert due to expected retaliation from Iran and its allies.
Following the deadly strike in Beirut that killed senior Hezbollah commander Fuad Shukr, the Iran-aligned militant group in Lebanon has hinted at getting even with Israel.
Simultaneously, the United States is watching carefully for possible counterstrikes by Iran and its cohort, tightening security measures in the Middle East to shield Israel.
The US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has ordered a significant military move with the deployment of the guided missile submarine, USS Georgia, to the Middle East, as confirmed by Pentagon Press Secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder on Sunday.
This strategic decision extends to hastening the dispatch of the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier strike group, which is equipped with top-line F-35C fighters, toward the Central Command area.
These developments follow on the heels of a detailed conversation between Austin and Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, where the focus was on "Israel's operations in Gaza and the importance of mitigating civilian harm, progress towards securing a ceasefire and the release of hostages held in Gaza."
Moreover, White House National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby revealed in Monday's briefing that theres a shared consensus between US and Israeli intelligence on the likelihood of a retaliatory assault transpiring potentially "this week."
Should this retribution materialize, it would be the first instance since April this year a period marked by Iran's aggressive response with a barrage of rocket and drone strikes against Israel, seen as reprisal for a precision airstrike targeting the Iranian consulate in Damascus which resulted in the demise of seven Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps members, among them two high-ranking officers.
Hamas claims rockets fired as explosions, booms heard in Tel Aviv
Citizens reported hearing sounds of explosions near Tel Aviv and central Israel on Tuesday, Israeli media reported.
Shortly after, Hamas's spokesman Abu Obeida said that the terror group's Al-Qassam Brigades "bombard Tel Aviv and its suburbs with two M90 missiles in response to the Zionist massacres against civilians and the deliberate displacement of our people," in a statement on the terror groups Telegram channel.
Iranian President Pezeshkian holds emergency talks with German and British leaders
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian held impromptu phone calls with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer late on August 12 as unconfirmed reports suggest Iran could potentially hit Israel in the next few hours.The call, which took place on 12 August 2024, covered “various topics including regional stability and the ongoing conflict in Gaza”, according to Iran’s official presidential site.
Pezeshkian stressed Iran's commitment to “maintaining and enhancing regional and global peace, stability, and security” as core policies.
He criticised Israel's actions in Gaza, calling on European nations, particularly Germany, to play a more active role in ending the conflict, hours after Berlin, London and Paris announced a joint statement for Iran not to strike the Jewish state.
'The expectation of people worldwide from European countries, especially Germany, is to play an effective role in ending the Zionists' genocide in Gaza, rather than supporting and backing this regime,' the Iranian president stated.
Addressing international relations, Pezeshkian affirmed Iran's adherence to international laws and regulations.
He added, 'While welcoming the development of interactions with all countries and emphasising problem-solving through negotiation, Iran will never submit to pressure, sanctions, bullying, or aggression.'
For his part, Chancellor Scholz congratulated Pezeshkian on his election as president and expressed Germany's readiness to enhance relations with Iran across various fields.
He stressed 'the necessity for an immediate cessation of war and violence in Gaza and the establishment of a ceasefire in this region.'
The conversation marks a potential shift in Iran-European relations, with both sides expressing interest in dialogue and cooperation amidst ongoing regional tensions.
British media later reported that British Prime Minister Keir Starmer also held his first phone call with Pezeshkian urging restraint from the Islamic Republic.
Pictures shared by 10 Downing Steet showed Starmer speaking on the phone with others listening to speaker.
According to Sky News reports, the phone call lasted 30-minutes between the Iranian president and British prime minister and would be the first point of contact between the countries.
The Iranian presidential website has not yet published details of the Starmer call.
IDF kills 2 Hezbollah members in Lebanon, hours after downing drones along border
Two Hezbollah members were killed in an Israeli airstrike in southern Lebanon on Tuesday, hours after the IDF shot down two drones in the north as the region continues to brace for an expected Hezbollah retaliation against Israel.
The IDF confirmed carrying out a drone strike in southern Lebanon’s Baraachit, killing two members of Hezbollah’s so-called Southern Front unit, the terror group’s regional command in southern Lebanon.
Hezbollah also confirmed their deaths, bringing the declared death toll for members of the terror group since October to at least 408.
Earlier Tuesday, the IDF said that its air defenses shot down two drones launched from Lebanon. One was shot down over the Kiryat Shmona area, while the second was intercepted over Lebanon before crossing into Israel.
Sirens had sounded in Kiryat Shmona and nearby communities amid the incident. There were no reports of injuries.
Footage later circulated on social media showing the Iron Dome intercepting one of the drones over the Galilee Panhandle.
The video offered some of the clearest footage showing a drone being intercepted by Israeli air defenses. The IDF earlier released grainy black-and-white footage of the same interception.
Late Tuesday night, a barrage of some 15 rockets was fired from Lebanon at the Malkia area in northern Israel. According to the IDF, the rockets struck open areas, causing no injuries.
Meanwhile, the IDF said it carried out drone strikes on two primed Hezbollah rocket launchers, in at-Tiri and Zibqin.
Separately, tanks under the 810th “Mountains” Regional Brigade shelled Hezbollah operatives at an observation post in the Mount Dov area earlier Tuesday, the IDF said.
Additionally, buildings used by Hezbollah in Chihine and Aalma ash-Shab, and an anti-tank guided missile launch post in Ayta ash-Shab, were struck, the military added.
Despite the ongoing cross-border fire, Israel is still girding itself for a serious escalation in response to the killing of top Hezbollah military commander Fuad Shukr in Beirut late last month, in response to a rocket attack on Majdal Shams which killed 12 children.
Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said Tuesday that Israel is closely tracking its enemies, both in regards to Hezbollah and an expected attack from Iran after the assassination of Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran.
Defense Minister Yoav Gallant (left) speaks with the head of the IDF Northern Command, Maj. Gen. Ori Gordin, at an intelligence base in northern Israel, August 13, 2024. (Ariel Hermoni/Defense Ministry)
“I am aware of the tensions and the great burden placed on the citizens of Israel. We are following what is happening, in Beirut, in Tehran, and in other places,” Gallant said during a visit to an IDF intelligence base in northern Israel. “We are engaged both in removing the threats and preparing all possibilities, in order to be able to attack wherever we decide.”
Since October 8, Hezbollah-led forces have attacked Israeli communities and military posts along the border on a near-daily basis, with the group saying it is doing so to support Gaza amid the war there.
So far, the skirmishes have resulted in 26 civilian deaths on the Israeli side, as well as the deaths of 18 IDF soldiers and reservists. There have also been several attacks from Syria, without any injuries.
Hezbollah has named 408 members who have been killed by Israel during the ongoing skirmishes, mostly in Lebanon but some also in Syria. In Lebanon, another 71 operatives from other terror groups, a Lebanese soldier, and dozens of civilians have been killed.
Netanyahu accuses defense minister of ‘anti-Israel narrative,’ exposing rift over war in Gaza
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu lambasted his Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on Monday and accused him of adopting an “anti-Israel narrative,” revealing a deep rupture at the top of the Israeli government as the Middle East risks spiraling into a full-scale regional conflict.
Israeli media reported this week that Gallant, speaking to lawmakers in a private security briefing, had dismissed Netanyahu’s war aim of achieving “absolute victory” over Hamas as “gibberish,” branding those who say this is achievable as “heroes with war drums.”
Netanyahu’s office shot back, saying Gallant’s comments jeopardize talks to release the hostages held in Gaza.
“When Gallant adopts the anti-Israel narrative, he harms the chances of reaching a hostage deal,” the prime minister’s office said in a statement. It said Gallant was obligated to pursue the twin goals of Israel’s war in Gaza: Eliminating Hamas and the release of the hostages seized by Hamas in the October 7 attacks.
The barbed exchange is the latest in a series of spats between the two men during more than 10 months of war, and comes as Israel has been bracing for a possible attack by Iran and its proxy Hezbollah in Lebanon. That has prompted the United States to bolster Israel’s defenses, sending a guided missile submarine to the region over the weekend.
Iran and Hezbollah have vowed to avenge the killings last month of Hamas’ political leader Ismail Haniyeh, who died in an explosion in Tehran, and of Hezbollah’s top military commander Fu’ad Shukr, who was assassinated in an Israeli airstrike in a Beirut suburb.
Iran blamed Haniyeh’s death on Israel, and a source familiar with the matter previously told CNN that Haniyeh was assassinated with an explosive device hidden in the guest house where he was staying.
The death of Haniyeh, who had been a key player in ceasefire talks, threatened to derail the negotiations to halt the war in Gaza and escalate the conflict, with Iran warning that “blood vengeance” for the killing was “certain.” Hezbollah also promised that Shukr’s blood “will not have been shed in vain” and threatened to retaliate, forcing Israel to confront the prospect of a war on multiple fronts.
Critics have accused Netanyahu of being more interested in defeating Hamas and preserving his government than returning the hostages. Far-right members of his coalition have threatened to collapse the government should a deal go through.
There is growing frustration in the international community with some of these far-right ministers, as Western leaders push for a deal.
On Monday, the European Union’s top diplomat Josep Borrell told CNN he would put forward a proposal at the EU to sanction far-right Israeli ministers Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben Gvir.
Borrell had called for sanctions against Smotrich and Ben Gvir in a post on X, days after Smotrich said it would be “moral” to starve two million Gazans until Israeli hostages are freed.
“The EU has no taboo in activating its Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime against any individual involved in serious violations of Human Rights, like the Hamas operatives and extremist Israeli settlers we already sanctioned,” Borrell told CNN in a statement on Monday.
“Since last October, Ministers Smotrich and Ben-Gvir statements inciting to hate and activities related to humanitarian aid clearly fall into this category,” the EU foreign policy chief added.
A group of hostage families on Saturday accused the prime minister of “gambling” with the lives of the hostages to ensure that his government survives, according to the Times of Israel.
The US, Egypt and Qatar – key mediators in talks between the warring parties – have urged Israel and Hamas to return to the negotiating table to consider a “final bridging proposal.” Discussions are set to resume Thursday in the Egyptian capital Cairo or the Qatari capital Doha.
Deepening schism
Gallant, who has emerged as a top interlocutor for advisers to US President Joe Biden, has often stressed the need for a ceasefire deal. He has previously called on Netanyahu to declare that Israel would not establish civilian or military control over Gaza, although the prime minister has remained vague on his plans for the “day after” the war.In his leaked comments, Gallant also claimed he had in October proposed a pre-emptive attack on Hezbollah in Lebanon, but that Netanyahu had not supported the strike and had missed the opportunity.
“The conditions today for a Lebanon war are the opposite of what they were at the beginning of the war,” Gallant reportedly told lawmakers.
Responding to Gallant’s claims, Netanyahu’s office deflected blame for the failure to reach a ceasefire deal, saying Gallant “should have attacked (Hamas leader Yahya) Sinwar, who refuses to send a delegation to the negotiations, and who was and remains the only obstacle to the hostage deal.”
In a later post on X, a chastened Gallant said he had told the private meeting that he is “determined to meet the goals of the war and to continue the fighting until Hamas is dismantled and the hostages return,” and also criticized the leaks from “sensitive and confidential forums.”
He stressed Israel is facing “challenging days in which we’ll be required to stand firm and take powerful and defensive offensive actions.”
Gallant joins a number of senior Israeli officials to have questioned Netanyahu’s aim of destroying Hamas. In June, top military spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari said the idea that Israel could “make Hamas vanish” is “throwing sand in the eyes of the public.”
CNN recently reported that nearly half of Hamas’ military battalions in northern and central Gaza have rebuilt some of their fighting capabilities, despite Israel’s unrelenting assault, according to a joint analysis with the American Enterprise Institute’s Critical Threats Project and the Institute for the Study of War.
US fighter jets, destroyers, and Patriot missiles shot down loads of Iranian weapons to shield Israel from an unprecedented attack©US Navy photo/Petty Officer 3rd Class Scott Pittman
Iran and allied militias in Yemen launched a barrage of 120 ballistic missiles, 30 cruise missiles, and 170 attack drones on Israel in a massive escalation of the Middle East crisis over the weekend.
Israeli officials said the US and allied forces from the UK, France, and Jordan, with support from Israel's Iron Dome and Arrow-3 systems, intercepted 99% of Iran's munitions.
However, US officials told CBS News and The Wall Street Journal that about half of Iran's ballistic missiles malfunctioned and failed to launch.
Submarine USS Georgia in the Strait of Hormuz with the cruiser USS Philippine Sea. US Navy courtesy photo© US Navy courtesy photo
The announcement is a clear and intentional warning to Iran and its proxies amid concerns that coming actions could send the region spiraling into further violence.
On Sunday, US Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin ordered the Ohio-class guided-missile submarine USS Georgia to the Middle East, where the warship will join many other naval assets positioned across the US Central Command area of responsibility and in the nearby Eastern Mediterranean.
As of Tuesday, the submarine had yet to arrive in the area, Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder, the Pentagon press secretary, told reporters. The Georgia is still on its way, as are other assets like the Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group, which was also deployed to boost the US naval presence in and around the region.
The aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln follows the guided-missile cruiser USS Cape St. George in the Strait of Hormuz in May 2012. US Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Alex R. Forst© US Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Alex R. Forst
Such a public announcement on the movements of a cruise-missile submarine, also known as an SSGN, is significant and unusual, Bryan Clark, a former US Navy officer and defense expert at the Hudson Institute, told Business Insider.
Typically, he said, two or three of the four US SSGNs would be at sea at a given time, "and it would not be unusual for one to be in the Central Command region."
"What is unusual is for the US to announce that it is moving," he explained. "Normally, the DoD does not discuss submarine operations. The public announcement suggests an intent to deter Iranian aggression," he said, referring to the Department of Defense by its acronym.
The US military has engaged in this sort of signaling in other instances as well. For instance, as tensions in the Middle East began to skyrocket last fall, the US military posted photos of another SSGN transiting the Suez Canal. And more recently, the US Navy put out photos of a ballistic missile sub in waters off northern Europe in another flex of US naval might.
Still, the practice of announcing submarine movements is uncommon.
"Secretary Austin actually saying the Georgia is going to be in the area is extremely unusual, but it's sending that deterrence signal to a lot of people who might be considering what they're going to do next within the region," retired Lt. Gen. Mark Hertling, the former top Army general in Europe, told CNN this week.
Iran has vowed to take revenge after recent assassinations of top Hezbollah and Hamas leaders, which it blames on Israel. The stated intent in Tehran and among its proxies to retaliate has sparked concerns over a potential all-out regional conflict, putting the US, Israel, and other allies on higher alert.
The Ohio-class guided-missile submarine USS Georgia returns to its homeport at Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay, Georgia. US Navy photo by Chief Mass Communication Specialist Ashley Berumen /Released© US Navy photo by Chief Mass Communication Specialist Ashley Berumen /Released
In an effort to deter Iran, the Pentagon has deployed additional military assets to the Middle East. Along with his announcement of the Georgia's deployment, the secretary of defense has also ordered the Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group, equipped with F-35C fighter jets, to accelerate its transit to the area.
These moves build on a previous order that also called for the movement of fifth-generation fighters and warships armed with the ability to engage ballistic missiles into position in and around the Middle East.
"These US military force posture adjustments are designed to improve US force protection, to increase our support for the defense of Israel, and to ensure the United States is prepared to respond to a wide variety of contingencies," Ryder said Tuesday.
The Pentagon press secretary added that Austin and his Israeli counterpart, Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant, had discussed a variety of topics during a Sunday phone call, including "our efforts to deter aggression by Iran, Lebanese Hezbollah, and other Iran-aligned groups across the region."
A fighter jet is seen aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Wasp with the aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower in the distance. US Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Sydney Milligan© US Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Sydney Milligan
The ability to send stealthy, highly capable submarines off the coasts of US adversaries reflects the far-reaching might of the US Navy.
Deploying a guided-missile submarine such as the Georgia to the Middle East also gives the US a major firepower boost. The Georgia is carrying over 150 Tomahawk missiles, making "it a significant strike threat" to a variety of key Iranian military assets, Clark said.
"While aircraft would need to fly over Iranian territory to attack targets deep inside the country, such as the nuclear weapons facilities or ballistic missile launchers, the Georgia could position itself offshore of Iran and hit any spot inside the country with missiles," he explained.
That adds a significant capability to the US forces in the area in the event of a conflict. Ryder said Tuesday, though, that the primary US goal is preventing a fight in the first place.
"Our focus is on de-escalating the situation," he said. "We have put these additional capabilities into the region to enable us, as I highlighted, to protect our forces, but also to support the defense of Israel should it be attacked."
- Iran launched a barrage of munitions at Israel in an unprecedented attack over the weekend.
- The US used fighter jets, Patriot missiles, and guided-missile destroyers to help thwart the attack.
- Israel said that it, with support from its partners, intercepted 99% of missiles and drones.
Iran and allied militias in Yemen launched a barrage of 120 ballistic missiles, 30 cruise missiles, and 170 attack drones on Israel in a massive escalation of the Middle East crisis over the weekend.
Israeli officials said the US and allied forces from the UK, France, and Jordan, with support from Israel's Iron Dome and Arrow-3 systems, intercepted 99% of Iran's munitions.
However, US officials told CBS News and The Wall Street Journal that about half of Iran's ballistic missiles malfunctioned and failed to launch.
Submarine USS Georgia in the Strait of Hormuz with the cruiser USS Philippine Sea. US Navy courtesy photo© US Navy courtesy photo
- The US publicly announced the deployment of a US Navy guided-missile submarine to the Middle East.
- The announcement is unusual and a clear signal of deterrence as an attack from Iran and its proxies appears imminent.
- USS Georgia is a significant threat capable of destructive missile strikes.
The announcement is a clear and intentional warning to Iran and its proxies amid concerns that coming actions could send the region spiraling into further violence.
On Sunday, US Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin ordered the Ohio-class guided-missile submarine USS Georgia to the Middle East, where the warship will join many other naval assets positioned across the US Central Command area of responsibility and in the nearby Eastern Mediterranean.
As of Tuesday, the submarine had yet to arrive in the area, Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder, the Pentagon press secretary, told reporters. The Georgia is still on its way, as are other assets like the Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group, which was also deployed to boost the US naval presence in and around the region.
The aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln follows the guided-missile cruiser USS Cape St. George in the Strait of Hormuz in May 2012. US Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Alex R. Forst© US Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Alex R. Forst
Such a public announcement on the movements of a cruise-missile submarine, also known as an SSGN, is significant and unusual, Bryan Clark, a former US Navy officer and defense expert at the Hudson Institute, told Business Insider.
Typically, he said, two or three of the four US SSGNs would be at sea at a given time, "and it would not be unusual for one to be in the Central Command region."
"What is unusual is for the US to announce that it is moving," he explained. "Normally, the DoD does not discuss submarine operations. The public announcement suggests an intent to deter Iranian aggression," he said, referring to the Department of Defense by its acronym.
The US military has engaged in this sort of signaling in other instances as well. For instance, as tensions in the Middle East began to skyrocket last fall, the US military posted photos of another SSGN transiting the Suez Canal. And more recently, the US Navy put out photos of a ballistic missile sub in waters off northern Europe in another flex of US naval might.
Still, the practice of announcing submarine movements is uncommon.
"Secretary Austin actually saying the Georgia is going to be in the area is extremely unusual, but it's sending that deterrence signal to a lot of people who might be considering what they're going to do next within the region," retired Lt. Gen. Mark Hertling, the former top Army general in Europe, told CNN this week.
Iran has vowed to take revenge after recent assassinations of top Hezbollah and Hamas leaders, which it blames on Israel. The stated intent in Tehran and among its proxies to retaliate has sparked concerns over a potential all-out regional conflict, putting the US, Israel, and other allies on higher alert.
The Ohio-class guided-missile submarine USS Georgia returns to its homeport at Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay, Georgia. US Navy photo by Chief Mass Communication Specialist Ashley Berumen /Released© US Navy photo by Chief Mass Communication Specialist Ashley Berumen /Released
In an effort to deter Iran, the Pentagon has deployed additional military assets to the Middle East. Along with his announcement of the Georgia's deployment, the secretary of defense has also ordered the Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group, equipped with F-35C fighter jets, to accelerate its transit to the area.
These moves build on a previous order that also called for the movement of fifth-generation fighters and warships armed with the ability to engage ballistic missiles into position in and around the Middle East.
"These US military force posture adjustments are designed to improve US force protection, to increase our support for the defense of Israel, and to ensure the United States is prepared to respond to a wide variety of contingencies," Ryder said Tuesday.
The Pentagon press secretary added that Austin and his Israeli counterpart, Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant, had discussed a variety of topics during a Sunday phone call, including "our efforts to deter aggression by Iran, Lebanese Hezbollah, and other Iran-aligned groups across the region."
A fighter jet is seen aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Wasp with the aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower in the distance. US Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Sydney Milligan© US Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Sydney Milligan
The ability to send stealthy, highly capable submarines off the coasts of US adversaries reflects the far-reaching might of the US Navy.
Deploying a guided-missile submarine such as the Georgia to the Middle East also gives the US a major firepower boost. The Georgia is carrying over 150 Tomahawk missiles, making "it a significant strike threat" to a variety of key Iranian military assets, Clark said.
"While aircraft would need to fly over Iranian territory to attack targets deep inside the country, such as the nuclear weapons facilities or ballistic missile launchers, the Georgia could position itself offshore of Iran and hit any spot inside the country with missiles," he explained.
That adds a significant capability to the US forces in the area in the event of a conflict. Ryder said Tuesday, though, that the primary US goal is preventing a fight in the first place.
"Our focus is on de-escalating the situation," he said. "We have put these additional capabilities into the region to enable us, as I highlighted, to protect our forces, but also to support the defense of Israel should it be attacked."
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