Mount Whitney, the US Navy’s command and control ship in Europe, is deploying to the Eastern Mediterranean to support Israel, which the US is reportedly waging a bloody war against Hamas.
In its statement, the Navy stated that Mount Whitney, the flagship of the 6th Fleet, left the Italian port of Gaeta to support US operations. A Navy spokesman confirmed that the 6th Fleet commander was Vice Admiral Thomas Ishee and that his staff was also on board.
Currently, the Navy has the Gerald R. Ford strike group off the coast of Israel. Rear Admiral Gregory Huffman commands six ships.
More than 300 crew members serve on Mount Whitney, approximately 150 of whom are civilian sailors affiliated with the Military Sealift Command.
In addition to the deployments, the Department of Defense said Tuesday it has placed approximately 2,000 troops on increased alert for deployment.
Defense and White House officials have stated that U.S. military assets off or near Israel are not conducting offensive operations against Hamas or the Gaza Strip.
As tensions and casualties increased, relevant officials, including US President Joe Biden and Defense Minister Lloyd Austin, went to Israel and promised support for the widespread deployment of US military assets to the region.
The opinions expressed herein are the author’s and not necessarily those of News2Sea.
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