According to recent news, the USS Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group, a force of six warships headed by the U.S. Navy’s largest and most advanced nuclear aircraft carrier, is currently positioned in the eastern Mediterranean Sea to support Israel. The strike group was sent there as part of the U.S. response to the attack by Hamas on Israel, and its mission is to ensure that there is no escalation around Israel. The Navy vessels can defend themselves if fired upon, but they cannot initiate an attack without authorization. The strike groups options include supporting the Israeli military, conducting intelligence surveys, and communicating early warnings of attacks to Israeli forces. In addition to the USS Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group, there are currently more than 20 U.S. Navy ships, including at least 12 guided-missile destroyers and cruisers, deployed to the Mediterranean Sea.