US nuclear submarine arrives in Middle East; CIA director visits Israel

The activities of US submarines, especially nuclear submarines, are always kept almost completely secret, so the US's release of the latest photos is believed to be intended to send a clear message of deterrence.

Tàu ngầm hạt nhân Mỹ răn đe mạnh mẽ; Giám đốc CIA đến Israel - Ảnh 1. — Photo of Ohio-class nuclear submarine released by CENTCOM on November 5, believed to be moving through the Suez Canal

In a post this morning on social network X (formerly known as Twitter), the US Central Command (CENTCOM) said that an Ohio-class nuclear submarine had arrived in the command’s area of responsibility on November 5. CENTCOM is responsible for the area covering countries from northeast Africa to the Middle East, Central and South Asia. The sea areas under this command include the eastern Mediterranean, the Red Sea, the Arabian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman.

The Ohio class is a class of American nuclear-powered submarines, most of which (designated SSBN) carry Trident ballistic missiles capable of carrying nuclear warheads, and some are modified to carry Tomahawk cruise missiles (SSGN). Ohio-class SSBNs are part of the US strategic nuclear triangle, along with strategic bombers and land-based intercontinental ballistic missiles (SLBMs).

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The US military did not specify the location of the ship and whether the one in the Middle East was an SSBN or SSGN, but CNN reported that it was a guided-missile submarine.

The announcement of the Ohio-class submarine is a clear deterrent message to Iran and its proxies in the region, according to CNN. Currently, the US has two aircraft carrier strike groups and an amphibious ready group in the region.

Prior to CENTCOM’s announcement, US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin held a phone call with Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on November 5. In addition to emphasizing the need to protect civilians and provide humanitarian aid in the Gaza Strip, Mr. Austin also stated that the US is committed to deterring state and non-state actors in the region from seeking to escalate the conflict.

Since the Hamas-Israel conflict broke out, there have been numerous attacks targeting US forces in Iraq and Syria, while Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah force in Lebanon have also been engaged in a tit-for-tat exchange.

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US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is also on a tour of several countries in the Middle East. The New York Times reported that CIA Director William Burn also visited Israel and met with Israeli Mossad intelligence chief David Barnea. The discussion was said to include continuing to fight Hamas and the issue of hostage rescue. Burns is scheduled to meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on November 6 and will visit Egypt, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), according to Ynetnews .

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