The U.S. has announced it deployed the USS Georgia, a nuclear submarine, to the Middle East amid heightened tensions over potential retaliatory attacks from Iran and Hezbollah, after talks between U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.
U.S.-based news outlet Newsweek provided details on the nuclear submarine, equipped with over 150 long-range cruise Tomahawk missiles. Its sister submarine, Florida, had already participated in strikes against Houthi targets in Yemen last January.
The armed submarine weighs around 19,000 tons and can carry up to 154 Tomahawk cruise missiles. These missiles are the U.S. Navy's primary weapon for long-range strike missions, capable of hitting targets both on land and at sea from a distance of 1,000 miles (over 1,600 km). Depending on the submarine's exact location in the region, this range is theoretically sufficient to strike targets in Iran.
In addition to Tomahawk missiles, the USS Georgia can support various special operations and accommodate up to 66 crew members. The U.S. Navy describes it as a "stealthy" and secretive platform with unprecedented strike capabilities for special missions and operations.
The submarine was already stationed in the Mediterranean Sea before the recent announcement of its transfer to the responsibility of U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) on Monday.
Last week, Georgia was spotted in Souda Bay near the Greek island of Crete. The U.S. Sixth Fleet said the submarine was on a "routine deployment" in European waters consisting of the fleet's operational zone. According to the statement, Georgia held exercises with the U.S. Marine Corps and special operations forces in the Mediterranean.
The training began on July 17, according to photos released by the U.S. Navy. Marines conducted dive training from Georgia's dry deck shelter. The decision to disclose information about the submarine's movements is considered unusual, as their locations are typically kept hidden.
Pentagon spokesperson Pat Ryder explained the decision to send the submarine to the region is part of reinforcements intended to protect U.S. forces, aid in defending Israel, and "ensure the U.S. is prepared for a variety of scenarios."
Georgia is one of four Ohio class submarines, which are nuclear-powered and were originally designed to carry nuclear ballistic missiles. Today, however, they carry non-nuclear cruise missiles.
In November last year, the Pentagon also revealed Florida's location, announcing it had arrived in the Middle East amid peak tensions at the time. Although the official announcement didn't mention the submarine by name, reports indicated it was a nuclear submarine.