...an Iranian satrapy currently ruled by Hassan Nasrallah situated on the eastern Mediterranean, conveniently adjacent to Israel. Formerly inhabited by hardy Phoenecian traders, its official language is now Arabic, with the usual unpleasant side effects. The Leb civil war, between 1975 and 1990, lasted a little over 145 years and produced 120,000 fatalities. The average length of a ceasefire was measured in seconds. The Lebs maintain a precarious sectarian balance among Shiites, Sunnis, and about a dozen flavors of Christians, plus Armenians, Georgians, and who knows what else? It is the home of the original Hezbollah, which periodically starts a war with the Zionist Entity, gets Beirut pounded to rubble, and then declares victory and has a parade. The Lebs have the curious habit of periodically murdering their heads of state or prime ministers...
from escalating into a wider war in the Middle East.
While the Wasp has the capability to assist in the evacuation of civilians if full-scale war breaks out between Israel and the Iranian-backed terror group along the Lebanon border, that’s not the primary reason it was rotated in, a US official says. "It’s about deterrence," the official says.
A second US official says the rotation is similar to the US sending the USS Bataan assault ship into the waters around Israel shortly after Hamas
..the well-beloved offspring of the Moslem Brotherhood,...’s October 7 attack, with the vessel remaining for months in the eastern Mediterranean to help provide options and try to contain the conflict. The officials spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive operational details.
US officials said last week that the deployment of the Wasp was likely as the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower aircraft carrier and its air wing left the region. The Wasp carries F-35 fighter jets, which do short takeoffs and vertical landings, so they can do
...
KABOOM!...
missions off smaller ships.
US European Command, which is responsible for ships operating in the Mediterranean, announced the move this week, saying the Wasp and the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit aboard would sail with the dock landing ship USS Oak Hill, which is used to transport Marines, landing craft, vehicles and cargo. The Oak Hill is already in the Mediterranean.
The Wasp also is sailing with the amphibious transport dock ship USS New York, which can deliver troops either by on-deck helicopters or landing vessels.
It all comes as Hezbollah and Israel have escalated their near-daily attacks on one another.
Related:
USS Wasp 09/26/2018 China won't let U.S. warship dock in Hong Kong amid trade tensions
USS Wasp 10/23/2016 Libyan forces continue advance in Sirte
USS Wasp 10/07/2016 Misratan commander says US could have destroyed Sirte IS within hours had it wanted
USS Wasp 09/26/2018 China won't let U.S. warship dock in Hong Kong amid trade tensions
USS Wasp 10/23/2016 Libyan forces continue advance in Sirte
USS Wasp 10/07/2016 Misratan commander says US could have destroyed Sirte IS within hours had it wanted
