[Regnum] The number of American missile destroyers with missile defense in the Mediterranean Sea has grown to five. This was reported by the naval publication USNI News, citing a source in the US Department of Defense.
“The United States has deployed five guided missile destroyers equipped with anti-missile weapons in the Mediterranean Sea,” the article says.
According to the source, the destroyers USS Paul Ignatius and USS Oscar Austin, based in Rota, Spain, entered the Mediterranean Sea. They joined the USS Arleigh Burke, USS Thomas Hudner and USS The Sullivans, which were already there. In addition, the guided missile destroyers USS Forrest Sherman and USS Truxtun are in the Red Sea.
All five destroyers are capable of intercepting ballistic missiles using the Standard Missile 3. Last year, the U.S. military used the SM-3 in combat for the first time to intercept an Iranian ballistic missile, the article said.
The US is moving the destroyers amid escalating conflict between Iran and Israel that began on June 13.
Earlier, the US Navy announced that a strike group led by the aircraft carrier USS Gerald Ford was moving to Europe. The ships will leave the US port on June 24.