The United States military has deployed a nuclear-powered submarine to the Middle East due to the unstable conflict in the region.

“On November 5, 2023, an Ohio-class submarine arrived in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility,” U.S. Central Command posted on social media.

According to Fox News, the Ohio-class submarine appeared to be located in Egypt’s Suez Canal near its Suez Canal Bridge based on the image.

The outlet said U.S. Central Command provided no additional details.

Fox News reports:

The U.S. is intending to send an unmistakable message to its enemies as officials acknowledging the use of these submarines or sharing information about their location is very rare. They represent part of America’s so-called “nuclear triad” of atomic weapons — which also includes land-based ballistic missiles and nuclear bombs aboard strategic bombers.

Ohio-class submarines can carry nuclear ballistic missiles as well as cruise missiles. It is not immediately clear if the submarine now operating near Israel is carrying nuclear ballistic missiles.

The U.S. continues to bolster its own forces in the Mediterranean Sea and in the surrounding region as tensions remain high with Iran, which financially and militarily supports Hamas and Hezbollah, both terror groups currently attacking Israel.

Separately, Central Command shared an image of a nuclear-capable B-1 bomber also operating in the Mideast.

The U.S. has deployed or redirected more than 17,350 military personnel to the region since Oct. 7. This includes those in carrier strike groups, troops deployed and the Bataan amphibious ready group.

The U.S. has also sent F-35’s F-15’s, F-16’s, A-10’s and F-18’s to the Middle East.

“On November 5, 2023, a U.S. Air Force B-1 Lancer begins aerial refueling from a KC-135 Stratotanker assigned to the 912th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron while conducting a Bomber Task Force mission over the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility. The mission was designed to build agility and interoperability between U.S. and partners while demonstrating the ability of the U.S. military to respond to crises and contingencies across theaters,” U.S. Central Command posted Sunday.

From The Hill:

It’s also not clear what type of submarine was deployed. The U.S. fleet has 14 Ohio-class submarines that can launch ballistic missiles and four additional ones that carry Tomahawk cruise missiles.

In either case, the nuclear-powered submarine adds to a growing U.S. presence in the Middle East region as Washington fears Iranian-backed groups will seek to take advantage of the conflict and spark further turmoil.

The U.S. has deployed two aircraft carrier strike groups to the eastern Mediterranean, along with warplanes and hundreds of troops, to deter any would-be aggressors.

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The American assets were dismissed last week by Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, whose forces control swaths of territory across Lebanon, which borders Israel. He said the U.S. forces would not deter him.

The Iranian-backed Hezbollah group has traded near-constant fire with Israel since the Hamas war broke out Oct. 7, and Nasrallah warned last week “all options” were on the table.

The U.S. has also been attacked at least 27 times in Iraq and Syria by Iranian-backed groups, though no American troops have died, the U.S. has said.

“The Dwight D. Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group (IKECSG) arrived in the Middle East and the CENTCOM area of responsibility as part of the increase in regional posture,” U.S. Central Command posted Saturday.

“The strike group is commanded by Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 2 and comprised of flagship aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69), guided-missile cruiser USS Philippine Sea (CG 58), guided-missile destroyers USS Mason (DDG 87) and USS Gravely (DDG 107) of Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 22, Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 3 with its nine squadrons, and the Information Warfare Commander,” U.S. Central Command added.

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