US sends submarine to Middle East as tensions escalate

The United States has sent a missile submarine to the Middle East as tensions rise in the region.

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin also said an aircraft carrier already headed to the area would get there faster.

The move follows fears of a wider regional conflict, following the recent assassinations of senior Hezbollah and Hamas leaders.

This demonstrates the US' determination to help defend Israel against any attack from Iran – with Mr Austin saying the US would “take every possible measure” to defend its ally.

Iran is being closely watched for any indication of how and when it might respond to the assassination of Hamas' top political leader, Ismail Haniyeh, in Tehran on July 31.

The Iranians have accused Israel of being responsible for Mr Haniyeh's assassination on their soil and have vowed to punish it. Israel has not commented but is widely suspected of being behind it.

In a statement released Sunday, the Pentagon said Mr. Austin had sent the guided-missile submarine USS Georgia to the region.

The aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln, which carries F-35C fighter jets, was also ordered to speed up its journey to the area. The ship was already en route to replace another U.S. ship in the region.

It is not yet clear what Iran might plan to do.

Meanwhile, another possible attack on Israel could come from Hezbollah, the Iranian-backed militia and political movement in Lebanon.

The group vowed to respond to Israel's assassination of top commander Fuad Shukr, which came just hours before Mr Haniyeh's killing in Beirut's southern suburbs.

Professor Mehran Kamrava of Georgetown University in Qatar said the US' public dispatch of a submarine was “intended to deter Iran and Hezbollah.”

But he suggested that privately, “there may be indications that Iran is indeed preparing something and is going to strike.”

Several passenger airlines have cancelled flights to airports in the region due to the perceived threat.

German airline Lufthansa announced Monday that it was suspending flights to Tel Aviv in Israel, Beirut, the capital of Lebanon, Amman, the Jordanian capital, Erbil in Iraq and Tehran, the Iranian capital, until August 21 “based on its current safety analysis.”

Swiss Air also cancelled its scheduled flights to Tel Aviv and Beirut during the same period.

In addition, Air France has extended until Wednesday the suspension of its flights to Beirut, in effect since July 29, according to the AFP news agency.

Other airlines, including AirBaltic and EasyJet, have already announced they are suspending flights to the region.

When Iran launched an attack on Israel after a strike on its consulate in Syria in April, it did so using hundreds of aerial drones and missiles.

The Biden administration believes a ceasefire in Gaza that frees Israeli hostages would be the best way to ease tensions in the region, and called for a resumption of talks on Thursday.

But on Sunday night, Hamas responded to U.S. efforts to revive ceasefire negotiations by saying Israel should be forced to implement the deal already on the table.

Hamas has said that any resumption of ceasefire negotiations on the Gaza conflict should be based on its previous position rather than holding new rounds of talks.

However, his statement indicated an agreement in principle to participate.

Washington has already blamed Hamas for the failure of the negotiations.

But Israeli media reports say the United States increasingly sees Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as partly responsible, as he is accused of appeasing far-right members of his coalition who oppose a deal.

Last week, for the first time, the White House openly criticized one of the leaders of this coalition, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich.

Mr Smotrich had urged Israel to reject the US ceasefire proposal, saying it would amount to a capitulation to Hamas. White House national security spokesman John Kirby said Mr Smotrich was “completely wrong” and accused him of making false statements.

Meanwhile, the leaders of the UK, France and Germany have reiterated calls for a resumption of ceasefire negotiations.

“We agree that there can be no further delay,” British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said in a statement.

“We are working with all parties to prevent escalation and will spare no effort to reduce tensions and find a path to stability.”

What Are The Main Benefits Of Comparing Car Insurance Quotes Online

LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESSWIRE / June 24, 2020, / Compare-autoinsurance.Org has launched a new blog post that presents the main benefits of comparing multiple car insurance quotes. For more info and free online quotes, please visit https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/the-advantages-of-comparing-prices-with-car-insurance-quotes-online/ The modern society has numerous technological advantages. One important advantage is the speed at which information is sent and received. With the help of the internet, the shopping habits of many persons have drastically changed. The car insurance industry hasn't remained untouched by these changes. On the internet, drivers can compare insurance prices and find out which sellers have the best offers. View photos The advantages of comparing online car insurance quotes are the following: Online quotes can be obtained from anywhere and at any time. Unlike physical insurance agencies, websites don't have a specific schedule and they are available at any time. Drivers that have busy working schedules, can compare quotes from anywhere and at any time, even at midnight. Multiple choices. Almost all insurance providers, no matter if they are well-known brands or just local insurers, have an online presence. Online quotes will allow policyholders the chance to discover multiple insurance companies and check their prices. Drivers are no longer required to get quotes from just a few known insurance companies. Also, local and regional insurers can provide lower insurance rates for the same services. Accurate insurance estimates. Online quotes can only be accurate if the customers provide accurate and real info about their car models and driving history. Lying about past driving incidents can make the price estimates to be lower, but when dealing with an insurance company lying to them is useless. Usually, insurance companies will do research about a potential customer before granting him coverage. Online quotes can be sorted easily. Although drivers are recommended to not choose a policy just based on its price, drivers can easily sort quotes by insurance price. Using brokerage websites will allow drivers to get quotes from multiple insurers, thus making the comparison faster and easier. For additional info, money-saving tips, and free car insurance quotes, visit https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/ Compare-autoinsurance.Org is an online provider of life, home, health, and auto insurance quotes. This website is unique because it does not simply stick to one kind of insurance provider, but brings the clients the best deals from many different online insurance carriers. In this way, clients have access to offers from multiple carriers all in one place: this website. On this site, customers have access to quotes for insurance plans from various agencies, such as local or nationwide agencies, brand names insurance companies, etc. "Online quotes can easily help drivers obtain better car insurance deals. All they have to do is to complete an online form with accurate and real info, then compare prices", said Russell Rabichev, Marketing Director of Internet Marketing Company. CONTACT: Company Name: Internet Marketing CompanyPerson for contact Name: Gurgu CPhone Number: (818) 359-3898Email: [email protected]: https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/ SOURCE: Compare-autoinsurance.Org View source version on accesswire.Com:https://www.Accesswire.Com/595055/What-Are-The-Main-Benefits-Of-Comparing-Car-Insurance-Quotes-Online View photos