US deploys two carrier strike groups in Mediterranean – first time since 2016

The John C. Stennis and Abraham Lincoln carrier strike groups have joined the US Mediterranean 6th Fleet for the first time in more than two years. This was announced on Monday, April 22, by the 6th Fleet commander, Vice Adm Lisa Franchetti.  DEBKAfile’s military sources add that this unusual concentration of US naval and air might in the region is intended to convey a warning to Iran against striking back at the US or its allies in the region in retribution for tightened Trump administration sanctions on its oil experts. This level of concentrated strength is capable of countering any Iranian attempt to interfere with the oil tanker shipping plying routes to market from the Gulf through the Strait of Hormuz, the Gulf of Aden or the Red Sea. See DEBKAfile’s earlier special report.

Vice Admiral Franchetti commented that it was a rare opportunity for two strike groups to work together alongside key allies and partners in the region. Our sources say she was referring to British, French and Israeli naval forces. The vice admiral, who has served as 6th Fleet commander since early 2018, added: “The dual carrier operations in the Mediterranean showcase the flexibility and scalability maritime forces provide to the joint force, while demonstrating our ironclad commitment to the stability and security of the region.”

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54 thoughts on “US deploys two carrier strike groups in Mediterranean – first time since 2016

  • Apr 23, 2019 @ 19:01 at 19:01
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    HE !.

    Iran will possibly make a blitz first strike,
    with a barrage of missiles,
    forcing the US to respond with Nukes.

    Arn.Sweden/

    • Apr 23, 2019 @ 20:07 at 20:07
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      @Arn.Sweden. – sounds like a swedish fantasy movie….rated 18+

    • Apr 24, 2019 @ 6:20 at 6:20
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      Arn Sweden….I doubt it….Tehran’s has been Wise and Patient to take any actions feeling the 2020 Election can remove the Trump Administration and there is not reason to be Goaded into any Conflict. Iran is using the Duel Policy of “Good Cop” to minimize European, Russia, India and Communists China with quiet Foreign Diplomatic undertaking and refraining from Escalation, for the time being. The other Hardliners Side of being the “Bad Cop” with Death to America, Israel and Arabia by a few Commanders is just following the same “Old Theocracy Heretical War of Words” going on since 1979. Thus, Iran will just be content to continue their Dual “Hate Bait” or “Helping Hand” Current Policy and ignore any Escalation Cycles Avoid War. Unless an Unintended Event Happens causing a Disastrous Armed Conflict that Iran Leadership can’t win if it comes down to it. We shall see?

    • Apr 24, 2019 @ 9:03 at 9:03
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      Idiotic statement. US and allies will use their overwhelming non-nuclear power which is obvious to the Iranians. Countries are loath to use their nuclear bombs and will never do so unless as an absolute last resort certainly not against a non-nuclear state such as Iran.

    • Apr 24, 2019 @ 12:41 at 12:41
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      you are a very idiot us does needs nukes to crush iran!!!! in 1980’s they did not use nuke to wipe iranian navy and ocuppied iranians oils plateform !!!! you are real idiot if you think that iran is superpower

    • Apr 24, 2019 @ 22:49 at 22:49
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      What could happen if an petrol tanker plenty of oil is hijacked by the
      Revolutionary Guards and suddendly launched against an Aircraft Carrier?
      Oil tankers are almost unsinkable because oil is less dense than water.
      In Italy the tanker AGIP ABRUZZO collided with the ferry MOBY PRINCE…
      and when both of them caught fire… of 140people aboard only ONE survived.
      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moby_Prince_disaster

  • Apr 23, 2019 @ 19:26 at 19:26
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    Um, that’s not how it works…

    • Apr 23, 2019 @ 20:29 at 20:29
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      Quite so, free retirement pension ticket readily available for the atomic ayatollah!
      No biggie, this is only to make Iran a country again.

  • Apr 23, 2019 @ 20:21 at 20:21
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    In the case of terrorist groups like ISIS, Iran, Hezbollah, Hamas, or PLO ex Black September, the 0 (zero) state solution is the best choice, a solid, smart and permanent one.

  • Apr 23, 2019 @ 21:32 at 21:32
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    Strictly speaking Iran will do nothing. They know better than to mess with the US navy. Stalemate for few more years. Iran won’t attack but will not yield. Just a big waste of time policy.

    • Apr 24, 2019 @ 6:25 at 6:25
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      Pat…….”Ditto To Your Comment”! The Iranian People are used to Living under the Shiia Regime and prefer that to Dying and the Leadership is sitting in Luxury and Iranians enter into more Poverty!

  • Apr 23, 2019 @ 22:38 at 22:38
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    Nothing will happen.The mullahs have no guts to act.And if they do so their days are numbered.

    • Apr 24, 2019 @ 14:20 at 14:20
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      Don’t count on it, death in martyrdom is sweeter than life to these men.
      An anonymous nuclear multi-city strike on the US, precluding retaliation, may soon be their best hope of surviving.
      It would be very surprising if they don’t have car sized nukes by now.

      • Apr 24, 2019 @ 16:08 at 16:08
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        If the US or Israel suffer a nuke attack, not only will Fascist Iran be totally destroyed….

        but Mecca, Hajj Central, will also be destroyed.

        The Islamic World is Target Rich.

        Wipe out the Iranian Regime and make Persian oil FREE to the world. Cheap oil is good for the world.

        • Apr 24, 2019 @ 21:54 at 21:54
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          İdiot idea belongs to idiots

  • Apr 23, 2019 @ 23:11 at 23:11
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    All that wasted time, energy and money to protect a squatter colony.

    • Apr 23, 2019 @ 23:23 at 23:23
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      It is mainly Quatar who pumps money, and the PA who profits since 50+ years and going on strong.
      Because of the criminal Slamic solidarity.

      • Apr 24, 2019 @ 7:58 at 7:58
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        Remind me who gets a $10 million dollar welfare check EVERY DAY from their drunken Dotard benefactor to shoot medics and traffic organs?

        • Apr 24, 2019 @ 16:33 at 16:33
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          Your goat is lonely.

          From the River to the Sea,
          Pal-e-SWINE Will NEVER BE!

    • Apr 24, 2019 @ 0:08 at 0:08
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      If you don’t like it, it must be good. SMYDA

    • Apr 24, 2019 @ 0:58 at 0:58
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      Your squatter colony called Gaza should pack up and return, make a One-Way Hajj to Jordan, Iraq, Syria and Egypt.

      • Apr 24, 2019 @ 7:50 at 7:50
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        The Semites of Gaza are victims of another European antisemitic ethnic cleansing campaign. As one of Hitler’s progeny, you embrace and trumpet this fact.

        • Apr 24, 2019 @ 9:13 at 9:13
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          We get a lot of bizarre posts here. This one from someone with a brain “Weaker than a Spider’s Web”i(which is actually fairly strong) has clearly forgotten to fill the perscription from his psychiatrist.

    • Apr 24, 2019 @ 3:11 at 3:11
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      There’s no squatting going on, we’re here to stay!!! just development & innovation… It’s not a colony btw, it’s a state. It’s called the Nation of Israel!

      • Apr 24, 2019 @ 7:53 at 7:53
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        Armed to the teeth by europeans to kill semites, handed land by the UNITED NATIONS a few decades ago, does not a state make.

        • Apr 24, 2019 @ 15:48 at 15:48
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          @weaker:yours days are numbered,even china is joining the fight

    • Apr 24, 2019 @ 6:35 at 6:35
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      Don’t talk about the Philistines that way.

    • Apr 24, 2019 @ 11:19 at 11:19
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      “All that wasted time, energy and money to protect a squatter colony.”

      @”Weaker than a Spider’s Web”,

      Don’t you know that it’s not nice to refer to the Palestinians that way?

  • Apr 23, 2019 @ 23:17 at 23:17
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    All along the history of the Islamic state in Iran we’ve seen insane actions of extreme craziness happening.
    What if the demented Khamenei decide to build a large synagogue in the heart of Tehran, eh?

  • Apr 24, 2019 @ 0:05 at 0:05
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    There will never be a solution: because arabs, never existed “falastyn” and the Farsi ayatollahs
    will never give up on the destruction of the Jews: as a Nation and a State !

  • Apr 24, 2019 @ 0:09 at 0:09
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    SMYDA “Squatters Make Your Day Again”

    • Apr 24, 2019 @ 1:27 at 1:27
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      What better way to know the extend of fake “Palestinians” lies —–> Arafat the inventor of the master Palestinian lies plan was born and lived in Egypt. Then, magic happened and suddenly he become “Palestinian” and founding father of the “Palestinian” nation.

      • Apr 24, 2019 @ 7:15 at 7:15
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        The Iranian Regime can see the Winds of Waiting in the Middle East more carefully to behave correctly to the European Union remaining Sarcastic of Israel, but Iran goals of Extermination of Israel but cannot do it with Direct Conflict Contests either. This means Iran will still Fund, Promote and Spread Instability by using Hizbollah and Hamas engineering more Conflicts of Resistance on all Israel’s Borders. Meanwhile, Israel is busy building the Anti-Iranian Alliance even with the EU, Communists China, and Russia can only cooperate only so far even as Iran supports chaos in Iraq, Lebanon, Yemen and Syria? The coming Trump-Kushner’s Peace Plan now can make Palestinian Authority Unpreparedness, Unexpectedness, and Improbability of the Palestinian Authority to yet accept or reject another Opportunity to finally take Advantage that would drive the Iranians into a Middle East Public Defeat while isolating Hamas and Hizboallah as weaker Iranian’s Puppets with less options.

      • Apr 24, 2019 @ 17:13 at 17:13
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        Here is what Zuheir Mohsen, leader of the as-Sa’iqa faction of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) between 1971 and 1979, said in an interview for the Dutch newspaper Trouw in March of 1977:
        “The Palestinian people does not exist. The creation of a Palestinian state is only a means for continuing our struggle against the state of Israel for our Arab unity. In reality today there is no difference between Jordanians, Palestinians, Syrians and Lebanese. Only for political and tactical reasons do we speak today about the existence of a Palestinian people, since Arab national interests demand that we posit the existence of a distinct Palestinian people to oppose Zionism.
        For tactical reasons, Jordan, which is a sovereign state with defined borders, cannot raise claims to Haifa and Jaffa, while as a Palestinian, I can undoubtedly demand Haifa, Jaffa, Beer-Sheva and Jerusalem.”

  • Apr 24, 2019 @ 0:52 at 0:52
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    Why did the Iranian chicken cross the ocean to Sri Lanka?

    • Apr 24, 2019 @ 11:33 at 11:33
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      “Why did the Iranian chicken cross the ocean to Sri Lanka?”

      Because Israel was too far away and had better security?

  • Apr 24, 2019 @ 3:15 at 3:15
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    US carrier strike groups vs Persia’s canoes, lol!!!

  • Apr 24, 2019 @ 5:39 at 5:39
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    They are there to protect us, Israeli, Egyptian, Italian and Greek interests. In short to watch the Turks should they get greedy within Cyprus gas.

  • Apr 24, 2019 @ 7:06 at 7:06
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    So the US shall strike Iran with might as they try to get nukes.
    Kill them before they grow. Now is the time to strike selected targets in Isfahan and hidden nuclear sites with MOAB as one does not want to nuke an evil country that tries to get the power to nuke Israel.
    See all the efforts Iran does to export terror and to fight from proxies against Israel.
    When they manage to build a thernonuclear device they will test it on Israel without prior earning.
    It is us or them.
    Go forward POTUS Trump and finish them off while there is time

    • Apr 24, 2019 @ 8:01 at 8:01
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      Save us, Dotard.

      The Persians make me so afraid that my only recourse is to bend over and let a piggie take me from the rear. It’s the only thing that takes my mind off the paralyzing fear.

      #DownWithKosher

  • Apr 24, 2019 @ 11:28 at 11:28
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    Just another fine day in the Middle East………………………….on the horizon!

    • Apr 24, 2019 @ 11:46 at 11:46
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      From the Debka article:

      “DEBKAfile’s military sources add that this unusual concentration of US naval and air might in the region is intended to convey a warning to Iran against striking back at the US or its allies in the region in retribution for tightened Trump administration sanctions on its oil experts. ”

      Iran’s response may well be an attack (or multiple attacks) against soft civilian targets, resulting in high casualties but not leaving any traces as to who was involved, sort of like the Pan Am disaster over Lockabee, Scotland some years ago (done in that style without claiming any responsibility and leaving the civilized world to guess who the perpetrators were). If they don’t attack us or our allies directly, a scenario like that may, unfortunately, suit the Iranian regime just fine.

      • Apr 24, 2019 @ 16:01 at 16:01
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        I bet Iran starts using drones on kids with balloons and kites.

        That will show the world how savage barbarians behave!

  • Apr 24, 2019 @ 15:37 at 15:37
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    Iran should buy nukes from black market

  • Apr 24, 2019 @ 16:17 at 16:17
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    The ayatollahs Can and Will do a lot of destructive damage, before they exit the world stage !

    • Apr 24, 2019 @ 16:37 at 16:37
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      The Islamic World is TARGET RICH.

      #1 Tehran
      #2 Mecca???

      • Apr 25, 2019 @ 0:42 at 0:42
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        Sure thing, Swine boy. Facing an existential threat of semitic middle school children armed with political consciousness, the squatters ain’t got near the juice to touch Tehran.

        And neither the squatters nor the Drunk Uncle Sam would ever target their Saud family Pedophiles. All Nazi wanna bes, like you, they share way too many body fluids…

        • Apr 25, 2019 @ 7:30 at 7:30
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          Hey Pal-e-SWINE boy,

          Please explain how the US could not in retaliation Nuke Tehran and more, or Mecca, in response to a nuke attack on the US or Israel.

          WHAT would prevent, stop the US from doing so???????

          The US took out Hiroshima and Nagasaki. You think some stupid Iranian goat-fvcker can stop the US??? LOL!

  • Apr 24, 2019 @ 16:49 at 16:49
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    Trump may see the time is approaching to “kill two birds with one stone”. As 2020 approaches a military non-ground troop conflict with Iran vs Israel/USA could produce benefits on several fronts. Regime change in Iran and a good economywould be a nice response to the non-stop fishing expeditions of the DeepState Democrats.

    • Apr 25, 2019 @ 0:43 at 0:43
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      The Dotard should proclaim Juan Guido as Shah!

  • Apr 24, 2019 @ 23:34 at 23:34
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    all to get rid of the monkeys of your type

    • Apr 24, 2019 @ 23:37 at 23:37
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      @weaker spider=:all that to get rid of the monkeys of your type

  • Apr 25, 2019 @ 0:41 at 0:41
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    Sure thing, Swine boy. Facing an existential threat of semitic middle school children armed with political consciousness, the squatters ain’t got near the juice to touch Tehran.

    And neither the squatters nor the Drunk Uncle Sam would ever target their Saud family Pedophiles. All Nazi wanna bes, like you, they share way too many body fluids…

  • Apr 25, 2019 @ 21:20 at 21:20
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    It’s weird how Jim Carrol, one of the good guys but explicit nonetheless, and the terrorists can post at debka no problem, but my posts are constantly being deleted…
    ATTENTION Israeli censors,
    If you feel that the posts of an American Jew who’s never worked for the Israel are revealing to much of your security apparatus, you need to seriously rethink your security if it’s that easy to expose…

Comments are closed.