Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Mark Warner (D-Va.) said the United States’s sending two aircraft carriers to Israel sends a “very clear warning” to Iran and demonstrates strong support for Israel.
“First of all, sending these two carrier groups — both based out of Norfolk, Virginia, I might add — I think shows a strong, strong show of support for Israel, and, I think, a very clear warning to the Iranians,” the Virginia Democrat said in an interview on “The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer” on Monday.
Warner’s statement of support comes after Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin announced Saturday that he would deploy the USS Eisenhower strike team to the region to join the first group headed by the USS Ford.
“The increases to U.S. force posture signal the United States’ ironclad commitment to Israel’s security and our resolve to deter any state or non-state actor seeking to escalate this war,” Austin said in a statement Saturday.
The deployment of the second aircraft carrier group comes as Israel prepares for a possible ground offensive in Gaza, which is ruled by the U.S.-designated terrorist organization Hamas, which also gets support from Iran.
Iran has warned against Israeli action in the Gaza Strip, warning of repercussions if there is an offensive. On Monday, Iran’s foreign minister warned that preemptive action against Israel could be expected “in the coming hours,” citing the Israeli airstrikes on Gaza.
The United States, however, has not been deterred by the threats and has repeatedly pledged its support for Israel’s right to defend itself.
On Oct. 7, Hamas launched a surprise attack on the southern border of Israel, resulting in more than 1,400 Israeli deaths. Almost 3,000 Palestinians are estimated to have been killed since the fighting began.