Twice this year, US forces in the region have assisted Israel in intercepting an attack by Iran. Austin announced in early August that he was sending the USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group to the region; it arrived later that month. The strike group consists of thousands of sailors and Marines, spanning across three destroyers and a carrier air wing. The USS Spruance and USS Frank E. Petersen Jr., also both guided-missile destroyers that are part of the strike group, were operating in the Red Sea. In addition to the firepower brought by the Lincoln strike group, the Navy has a number of other destroyers and capabilities in the region.

---

Persons: Israel, Lloyd Austin, Austin, Abraham Lincoln, Spruance, Frank E, Petersen, Bulkeley, Arleigh Burke –, Murphy, Stockdale, Sabrina Singh Organizations: Washington CNN, Israel, Navy, Iranian, Defense, Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group, Lincoln, 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit, Marines, USS, Air Force, Pentagon, US Central Command, Army, Patriot, High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems Locations: East, Israel, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Iranian, Gulf of Oman, Red, York, Lebanon, Cole, Indianapolis