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The U.S. Navy’s amphibious assault ship, the USS Wasp, along with its contingent of Marines, is heading to the eastern Mediterranean as a measure to counter rising tensions between Hezbollah and Israel along the Lebanese border, based on information from three U.S. officials. Despite the deployment, officials emphasize this move is not a precursor to evacuating American citizens from Lebanon, but rather to act as a deterrent, akin to past deployments of the USS Bataan and the USS Gerald Ford in response to an attack by Hamas on Israel on October 7.
Currently deployed in Europe, the Wasp’s journey towards the eastern Mediterranean aims to prevent the conflict between Hamas and Israel from escalating into a wider regional war, according to officials. The deployment seeks to “deter war and promote regional stability,” an official noted.
In the accompanying photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Drace Wilson of the U.S. Navy, the USS Wasp (LHD 1) is seen docking at Naval Station Rota, Spain, on June 25, 2024.
The USS Oak Hill, already present in the Mediterranean, will be joined by the USS Wasp. The USS New York, the third vessel of the Wasp’s Amphibious Ready Group, is also expected to link up with them, as stated by a U.S. official. The 2,200 Marines aboard these ships are primed for various missions, including the potential evacuation of American citizens from conflict areas.
Currently, the Wasp is outfitted with AV-8 Harrier jets and helicopters, though it is not equipped with the MV-22 Osprey aircraft known for long-distance personnel transport, which would typically be deployed for evacuating large groups of people.
Another official highlighted that the Wasp’s movement towards the eastern Mediterranean is aimed at providing U.S. leadership with strategic options and clarified that there has been no decision regarding the involvement of the ship and its Marines in evacuating American citizens from Lebanon.
Tensions have intensified in recent weeks along the border between Israel and Lebanon, with an increase in skirmishes between Israeli forces and Hezbollah, fueling worries of an impending second conflict involving Israel.
Efforts by the U.S. to mediate and de-escalate tensions have yet to yield success. Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, addressing the situation, declared Israel’s rejection of Hezbollah’s military presence near its border and underscored Israel’s commitment to defending its communities while expressing a preference to avoid war.
The USS Wasp is transporting the majority of the 2,200 Marines from the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) that embarked on its deployment to the Sixth Fleet’s European operations area in May, with the remainder of the 24th MEU stationed aboard the USS Oak Hill and the USS New York.
Earlier on Thursday, it was announced that the USS Wasp had passed through the Strait of Gibraltar into the Mediterranean, following its participation in a large-scale exercise in the Baltic Sea.