USS Georgia (SSGN-729) is officially in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility, the Pentagon announced Tuesday.
The Ohio-class guided-missile submarine joined other U.S. assets, including two carrier strike groups, in the Middle East as part of the U.S. response to a possible Iranian attack on Israel, as well as continued efforts for Operation Prosperity Guardian.
It’s unclear when exactly the submarine crossed into CENTCOM’s area of response. Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Sabrina Singh told reporters Thursday that Georgia was in the Eastern Mediterranean, with Pentagon Press Secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder announcing the sub’s arrival in CENTCOM during a Tuesday press briefing.
CENTCOM referred USNI News to Ryder’s comments when asked for more details.
Currently, the Navy has two independently-deployed destroyers in the Red Sea – USS Michael Murphy (DDG-112) and USS Frank E. Petersen Jr. (DDG-121) – while two carrier strike groups are currently in the Gulf of Oman, according to USNI News’ Fleet Tracker.
The Houthis have not attacked a ship in the Red Sea since Sept. 2, Houthi spokesperson Brig. Gen. Yahya Sare’e said on social media site X, where he often posts updates. However, the Houthis claimed to have shot down an American MQ-9 Reaper on Sept. 7. It’s at least the third time the Houthis have claimed to shoot down a MQ-9 Reaper, although the Department of Defense has denied this happened the other two times.
On Sept. 2, the Houthis attacked M/V Blue Lagoon I, a Panamanian-flagged and owned crude oil tanker operated by a Greek company, and M/V Amjad, a Saudi-owned, -operated and -flagged tanker, USNI News previously reported.
Ryder did not have updates on the two tankers, but he told reporters that M/V Delta Sounion, attacked by the Houthis on Aug. 21, is still on fire in the Red Sea. The oil tankers have not leaked into the waters, with any spillage likely the ship’s own fuel, Ryder said Tuesday.
“But clearly, that presents a — the potential for a significant environmental disaster. And I know that there are third parties that are looking at how to salvage that and — and get the — the oil tanker out of there. But again, just an indication of the kinds of malign activity that we’re seeing from the Iranian-backed Houthis,” Ryder said.
