- US congressional sources say the amphibious warship Bataan is leading a US naval task force in the eastern Mediterranean.
- The Bataan has two support ships and together they have around 2,500 Marines on board, with guided missile destroyers already in the area.
- The decision comes after Iran unleashed a drone strike on Israel in response to a drone strike that left 12 Iranians dead earlier this month.
The United States sent the warship Bataan, as well as two support ships with 2,500 Marines on board to the eastern Mediterranean, after Iran launched a drone attack against Israel.
US congressional sources say the amphibious warship Bataan is leading a US naval task force in the eastern Mediterranean.
The Bataan has two support ships and together they have around 2,500 marines on board. The United States also has several guided missile destroyers, including the Carney, in the area.
US bases in Iraq have been placed on high alert and will also attempt to shoot down missiles and drones aimed at Israel.
Additionally, the United States has two destroyers and a cruiser in the Red Sea that are fully armed with anti-missile weapons and are also under orders to shoot down any Israeli missiles or drones.
US congressional sources say the amphibious warship Bataan, seen here in December last year, is leading a US naval task force in the eastern Mediterranean.
US bases in Iraq have been placed on high alert and will also attempt to shoot down missiles and drones aimed at Israel.
Biden is seen here walking to the Oval Office after returning from Delaware to consult with his national security team.
Iran launched the drones on Saturday afternoon Eastern Standard Time, and they are expected to take hours to reach their target.
On Saturday afternoon, President Biden rushed back from Delaware for an emergency national security meeting on the matter.
Israel has an “iron dome” security system that can shoot down enemy missiles, although it is unclear whether it will be able to defend itself against the full force of Iran’s attack.
According to three security sources, dozens of drones were seen flying from Iran over the neighboring Iraqi province of Sulaymaniya.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said via state media that it had “launched extensive drone strikes against targets in occupied territories.”
Iranian media reported that a second wave of drones has been launched, although details about their current location are not yet known.
IDF spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said it would take several hours for the drones to reach Israel, adding that sirens would be sounded in threatened areas.
The IDF said: ‘The air defense array is on high alert at the same time as Air Force aircraft and Navy ships that have the mission of protecting the country’s skies. The IDF is monitoring all targets.
The United States also has several guided missile destroyers, including the Carney, pictured, in the area.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said via state media that it had “launched extensive drone strikes against targets in occupied territories,” seen here.
“We ask the public to respect and follow the instructions of the Home Front Command and the IDF’s official announcements on this matter.”
Iran had threatened to hit back at Israel over an attack in Syria, which Tehran said was an Israeli airstrike on an Iranian diplomatic building in Damascus.
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei vowed retaliation following the attack on Damascus, for which Tel-Aviv has yet to take responsibility.
The April 1 attack destroyed Iran’s consulate building in the city and killed seven Revolutionary Guards, including the two generals.
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned Wednesday that Israel “must and will be punished,” days after one of his advisers said Israeli embassies “are no longer safe.”