Pentagon has ordered a US aircraft carrier to remain in the Mediterranean near Israel

WASHINGTON — Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has ordered the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford and another warship to remain in the Mediterranean for several more weeks to maintain a dual-carrier presence near Israel as the war with Hamas continues, U.S. officials said.

It would be the third time the Ford's deployment has been expanded, underscoring ongoing concerns about volatility in the region amid Israel's war in Gaza. The US has two aircraft carriers in the region, a rarity in recent years.

Multiple U.S. officials confirmed the extended deployments approved this week for the Ford and USS Normandy cruiser on condition of anonymity because they have not yet been made public. The deployment of other ships in Ford's strike group had already been expanded.

The Pentagon has increased its military presence in the region after Hamas' attacks on October 7 to deter Iran from expanding the war into a regional conflict. In the months since, Iranian-backed militants in Iraq and Syria have used the war to launch regular attacks with rockets, drones and rockets on U.S. military installations there.