The US Aircraft Carrier USS. Theodore Roosevelt Leaves Middle East
The Pentagon announced on Thursday that one of the aircraft carriers deployed by the United States to the Middle East has left the region.
Washington has sent two aircraft carriers to the region with the main aim of deterring Iran from carrying out its threat to attack Israel.
The decision to withdraw the aircraft carrier comes about three weeks after US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin directed the aircraft carrier USS. Theodore Roosevelt to remain in the region even after the arrival of the USS. Abraham Lincoln to replace it.
Pentagon spokesman Patrick Ryder said at a press conference that the Roosevelt has now departed for the Asia-Pacific region.
Austin had ordered the extension of Roosevelt’s stay in the Middle East on August 25, after Hezbollah launched hundreds of missiles and drones at Israel.
Washington has expressed concerns that Iran might carry out its threats to respond to Israel’s assassination the head of Hamas political bureau, Ismail Haniyeh, in Tehran last July.
Despite USS. Roosevelt’s departure, Ryder downplayed concerns about a decline in US interest in dealing with Iranian threats, stressing that the decision was due to fleet management purposes.
He added, “Iran has made clear its intention to respond to Israel, and we will continue to take this threat seriously”.
He also stressed that the United States continues to focus on cooperating with its partners in the region to calm the situation and prevent tensions from escalating into a larger regional conflict.
Iran has vowed a strong response to Haniyeh’s assassination, holding Israel responsible for his death, although Israel has neither confirmed nor denied its involvement in the incident.
At the same time, the administration of US President Joe Biden is working to limit the impact of the ongoing war between Hamas and Israel in Gaza, which has entered its second year and sparked clashes on the border with the Iranian-backed Lebanese Hezbollah, in addition to the involvement of the Houthis in Yemen.
