US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin ordered the USS Abraham Lincoln strike group to quicken transit to the Middle East and deploy guided missile submarine, says Pentagon.US jets fly above the USS Abraham Lincoln in a file shot. Washington has ordered the aircraft carrier to accelerate its deployment to the Middle East amid fears of an Iran attack on Israel Photograph: Mass Communication Specialist 2n HANDOUT/EPA.US defence secretary Lloyd Austin ordered the deployment of a guided missile submarine to the Middle East amid escalating tensions in the region, the Pentagon said on Sunday. The moves come as the US and other allies push for Israel and Hamas to reach a ceasefire deal that could help calm soaring regional tensions after the assassination of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran, for which Iran has vowed to retaliate, as well as a senior Hezbollah commander in Beirut. Writing on the X platform late on Sunday, EU foreign policy chief Borrell said the recent remarks by Itamar Ben-Gvir constitute “incitement to war crimes,” adding that “sanctions must be on our EU agenda.” Israeli defense minister Yoav Gallant spoke on Sunday with Austin and told him Iran’s military preparations suggested Iran was getting ready for a large-scale attack on Israel, Axios reporter Barak Ravid posted on X, citing a source. The European Union’s chief diplomat, Josep Borrell, said there was “no justification” for the attack on the Gaza City school, while the White House said it was “deeply concerned” about it. Egypt, Qatar and Saudi Arabia condemned the attack. A spokesperson for the Palestinian Authority president, Mahmoud Abbas, urged the US to “put an end to the blind support that leads to the killing of thousands of innocent civilians, including children, women and the elderly”.The Israeli military acknowledged Saturday’s strike on the al-Tabeen school, claiming it hit a Hamas command centre within the school and that it had taken steps to reduce the risk of harming civilians. Hamas denied having a base at the school.
An airstrike on a vehicle in eastern Syria near the porous border with Iraq killed at least five fighters from pro-Iran units, two security sources in the region told Reuters. One of the sources said the strike was carried out by a drone, but could not specify which military the drone belonged to. The second source said it targeted fighters as they changed shifts at a checkpoint, Reuters reported.