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US military stationed off Libya
The US military said it was “repositioning some naval and air forces” near Libya. The United States has a regular military presence in the Mediterranean Sea and has two aircraft carriers in the Persian Gulf area.
The US military said it was “repositioning some naval and air forces” near Libya. The United States has a regular military presence in the Mediterranean Sea and has two aircraft carriers in the Persian Gulf area.
ABC News said that amphibious ship USS Kearsarge had left the Red Sea to transit through Suez Canal into the Mediterranean, close to Libya.
USS Kearsarge has armed helicopters and harrier jets on board as well as around 700 Marines.
ABC also said aircraft carrier USS Enterprise had also been kept on ‘high standby alert’ in the Red Sea, though it had not been given orders to move into Mediterranean yet.
But an armed intervention is not imminent, not now at least.
Pentagon spokesperson Dave Lapan said the movement of the American forces was part of the planning of “options and contingency plans” as violence continues in Libya.
Meanwhile, secretary of state Hillary Clinton said the United States is “actively considering” no-fly zone over Libya option.
