US amphibious assault ship on way to Libyan coast

The USS Bataan amphibious assault ship with 1,000 marines will be deployed off the coast of Libya within days as a “precaution,” in case the deepening anarchy in the country forces the evacuation of the US embassy in Tripoli, a US defense official said. DEBKAfile: The ship will also be available to support retired Libyan general Khalifa Haftar’s campaign to take control of the Libyan government from Muslim extremists. He is backed by the US and UAE (as we reported on May 19).