US ballistic missile sub surfaces in the Middle East, threatening regional enemies with deterrence

In an unusual move, the US military declared that a ballistic missile submarine had reached the Middle East. This was meant to be a deterrent to adversaries in the region as the US attempts to prevent a wider regional conflict.

The Ohio-class submarine appears to be in the Suez Canal, passing under the Al Salam Bridge northeast of Cairo, according to a photo posted on social media by US Central Command on Sunday.

A strong deterrent message is being sent to Iran and its regional proxies by the public announcement of the submarine in the Middle East. The unnamed sub joins several other US Navy units that are currently in the region, such as an amphibious ready group and two carrier strike groups.

The US last revealed the presence of a ballistic missile submarine in the Middle East when Gen. Michael "Erik" Kurilla, the commander of US Central Command, boarded the USS West Virginia a year ago. According to CENTCOM at the time, Kurilla visited the sub at a "undisclosed location at sea in international waters."