The United States has increased its naval combat power in the Eastern Mediterranean, reinforcing its commitment to protect Israel amid escalating hostilities with Iran.
A U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of military movements, confirmed that the destroyer USS Thomas Hudner has joined the USS Arleigh Burke and USS The Sullivans in the region. The official also indicated that additional U.S. warships may be en route to further support regional air defenses.
In recent days, both the Arleigh Burke and the Sullivans launched missile interceptors to help defend Israel against Iranian retaliatory attacks. It remains unclear whether those interceptors successfully downed incoming threats.
Alongside its sea-based air defense capabilities, the U.S. military has also been supporting Israel from land. This includes systems such as the MIM-104 Patriot missile battery and potentially the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system, both designed to intercept ballistic threats at varying altitudes.
This marks the third time in a year that U.S. warships have supported Israel’s air defense. Similar efforts took place in April and October 2024, when Iran launched its first-ever direct missile strikes against Israel.
The current wave of hostilities began after Israel launched Operation Rising Lion, a campaign aimed at significantly damaging Iran’s nuclear program, which Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has called an existential threat. In response, Iran has launched more than 370 ballistic missiles since Friday, killing at least 24 people and injuring over 590. Many of the incoming projectiles were intercepted, including by Israel’s Arrow system—a high-altitude interceptor with capabilities similar to THAAD.
Israeli airstrikes have reportedly hit multiple high-value Iranian targets in recent days, including nuclear facilities, weapons production centers, missile launchers, and key military sites. Israel is also said to have eliminated several senior Iranian commanders and targeted prominent nuclear scientists.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio emphasized last week that the United States was not involved in Israel’s offensive actions against Iran’s nuclear infrastructure, limiting its role strictly to defensive operations. Analysts note that Iran’s most critical nuclear sites are buried deep underground, and Israel lacks the munitions necessary to destroy them without U.S. assistance.
In addition to the forces in the Eastern Mediterranean, the U.S. Navy maintains a presence in the Red Sea and has deployed a carrier strike group in the broader Middle East. A second carrier is reportedly heading toward the region. While all these assets are equipped for air defense missions, not all are expected to be tasked with that role.