Second US aircraft carrier arrives in the Middle East

The Pentagon has dispatched the USS Abraham Lincoln and several destroyers in the region amid the fears of a broader conflict between Israel and Iran

The USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier strike group has arrived in the Middle East, joining the USS Theodore Roosevelt carrier already deployed in the region, the US military has reported. The arrival comes amid the fears of a larger escalation between Israel and Iran.

The USS Abraham Lincoln is carrying F-35 and F-18 fighters on board and is being escorted by a squadron of destroyers, the US Central Command announced on X (formerly Twitter) on Thursday.

The Pentagon dispatched the armada in the region earlier this month following the assassinations of Hamas political bureau chief Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran and high-ranking Hezbollah operative Fuad Shukr in Beirut.

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US lecturing Israel in secret – media

Israel claimed responsibility for the strike that killed Shukr, but neither confirmed nor denied its involvement in Haniyeh’s death. Tehran, however, threatened Israel with “harsh punishment,” as West Jerusalem braced for cross-border attacks. “Time is in our favor and the waiting period for this response could be long,” Alimohammad Naini, spokesperson for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, said on Tuesday.

The Israel Defense Forces, in turn, threatened more military action against Hezbollah in Lebanon, sparking fears of a full-blown invasion.

Washington and West Jerusalem are worried Iran could carry out a combined strike on Israel, working in tandem with various pro-Palestinian groups, including Hezbollah and Yemen’s Houthis.

READ MORE: Hamas torpedoes US ceasefire proposal – media

In April, Israel struck an Iranian consulate building in Damascus, killing several senior Iranian commanders. Tehran responded by launching a barrage of rockets and drones at the Jewish state, injuring dozens of civilians. Many projectiles were shot down with the help of the US, Britain, France and Jordan.