US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin has deployed a guided missile submarine to the Middle East and ordered a quicker transit of an aircraft carrier strike group amid concerns of further regional conflict and an Iranian attack on Israel. Mr Austin spoke to Israeli Minister of Defence Yoav Gallant on Sunday, discussing the war in Gaza, according to Pentagon press secretary Pat Ryder. The pair also discussed “efforts to deter aggression by Iran, Lebanese Hezbollah and other Iran-aligned groups across the region”.
