US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has ordered the USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier and another warship to remain in the Mediterranean Sea for several more weeks to maintain a presence near Israel, as the conflict in the Gaza Strip continues, AP reported.

This will be the third time the carrier’s deployment has been extended, underscoring US concerns about conflict in the Middle East. Washington has two carriers in the region, a rarity in recent years.

Multiple US officials confirmed the information to AP on December 15. According to sources, the extension of the deployment of the USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier was approved this week, but the information has not been widely released due to the sensitivity of the issue.

The Pentagon has increased its military presence in the region since October 7 (when the Hamas-Israel war broke out) to prevent Iran from expanding the war into a regional conflict.

Washington accuses Iran-backed militants in Iraq and Syria of exploiting the fighting in Gaza to launch frequent rocket, drone and missile attacks on US military facilities there.

Meanwhile, US warships in the Red Sea intercepted missiles fired by Houthi fighters from Yemen aimed at targets in Israel. On December 15, Washington said the Houthis attacked two commercial ships in the Red Sea, according to Reuters.

As of December 15, 19 US warships were present in the Middle East, including seven in the eastern Mediterranean and 12 others stretching along the Red Sea, across the Arabian Sea and into the Persian Gulf.

The decision to keep the USS Gerald R. Ford, the US Navy's newest aircraft carrier, in the region came as Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said "it will take months to eliminate Hamas."

US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan also met with Israeli leaders this week to discuss a roadmap to ending the war in Gaza. However, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government has vowed not to stop until it achieves its goal of pushing back Hamas.

The aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford left Norfolk, Virginia, in early May. It was originally scheduled to return home in early November. It is unclear whether the 5,000 sailors on board will be able to return home for the upcoming Christmas and New Year holidays.