WASHINGTON — Getting ready just in case, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has ordered the Navy's USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group to "accelerate its transit to the Central Command area of responsibilities."
The carrier has F-35 C Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter jets aboard, along with the F/A-18 Super Hornets.
Additionally, Austin has directed the Ohio Class guided-missile submarine USS Georgia to proceed "with all due haste" to the Middle East.
"These U.S. military force posture adjustments are designed to improve U.S. force protection, to increase our support for the defense of Israel and to ensure that the United States is prepared to respond to a wide variety of contingencies," said Pentagon Press Secretary Major General Pat Ryder during a news conference on Tuesday.
The moves come as the U.S. and other allies push for Israel and Hamas to achieve a cease-fire agreement that could help calm soaring tensions in the region.
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Ryder framed the movements as precautionary, and declined to say what it would take for the U.S. to launch an attack upon Iran.
"I'm not going to speculate or get into hypotheticals about when or if Iran launches an attack or one of their proxies launches a attack. Their public statements have been very clear, so we need to take those seriously. But our focus is on de-escalating tensions," he said.
Ryder said two of America's top goals are getting a cease-fire and getting hostages returned home.