KUALA LUMPUR – An Ohio-class submarine belonging to the US Navy has arrived in the Middle East region amid the escalating war on Gaza by Israel.
The US Central Command (Centcom) posted on X (formerly known as Twitter) at 5am Malaysian time stating that “On November 5, 2023, an Ohio-class submarine arrived in the US Central Command area of responsibility”.
The Ohio-class guided-missile submarines are said to be armed with ballistic missiles armed with nuclear warheads and equipped with superior communications capabilities.
Since the latest conflict started on October 7, the US has deployed two aircraft carriers to the region, while its House of Representatives passed a Republican proposal to provide US$14.5 billion (RM67.66 billion) in military aid to Israel.
The aid, which is funded by cuts to the Internal Revenue Service, included US$4 billion to replenish Israel’s Iron Dome as well as David’s Sling missile defence systems and military equipment from the US.
Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Qatar, and Yemen condemned an Israeli minister’s statement, in which he mentioned that dropping a nuclear bomb on Gaza is among Israel’s “options” going forward.
Yesterday, Israel’s Heritage Minister Amichai Eliyahu said that “one of Israel’s options in the war in Gaza is to drop a nuclear bomb on the strip”.
He also voiced his objection to allowing any humanitarian aid into Gaza. – November 6, 2023