The United States will send a second aircraft carrier to the eastern Mediterranean “to deter hostile actions against Israel or any attempts to expand this war following the Hamas attack,” US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said on Saturday.
• Also read: LIVE | Day 8 of the Israel-Hamas war
• Also read: Five people are injured in an Israeli attack on Aleppo airport
• Also read: Israel-Hamas war: fourth Canadian dies
The USS Eisenhower and its escort ships will join a first aircraft carrier – the USS Gerald R. Ford – deployed to the region following the bloody Hamas attack on Israel on October 7.
This deployment demonstrates “Washington’s unwavering commitment to Israel’s security and our determination to deter any state or non-state actor seeking to escalate this war,” Austin added in a statement.
The US also began delivering military aid to Israel on Sunday with new ammunition and warned its neighbors against an escalation of the conflict.
Since the bloody attack by the Islamist group Hamas on October 7, at least 1,300 people, mostly civilians, including at least 130 foreigners or dual nationals, have been killed in Israel.
Local authorities say more than 2,200 Palestinians, mostly civilians, including 724 children, have died in the Gaza Strip, a poor area between Israel and Egypt.
President Joe Biden underscored U.S. support for efforts to protect civilians in phone calls with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Saturday evening.