The United States navy destroyer USS Ramage docked briefly in Lebanon, the US embassy in Beirut said on Sunday, amid heightened regional tensions.

The Arleigh-Burke-class vessel, capable of intercepting ballistic missiles, stopped Saturday for a "one-day goodwill visit on the sidelines of its participation in ongoing efforts to ensure freedom of navigation and free-flow commerce in the eastern Mediterranean", a statement from the US embassy said.

US Ambassador to Lebanon Elizabeth Richard and Vice Admiral James Malloy hosted "an on-board reception for US and Lebanese officials", it added.

During the reception, the vice admiral and ambassador underscored "the ongoing commitment of the United States to be a strong and enduring partner for the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF), with the goals of enhancing military-to-military cooperation and promoting security and stability in the region", according to the statement.

"This remarkable US ship, docked in this remarkable Lebanese city speaks volumes about the partnership between the US and Lebanese militaries," Richard said.

The US is currently engaged in a stand-off with Iran and its Lebanese ally, the Shiite movement Hezbollah, which has been slapped with US sanctions and classified as a "terrorist" organisation by Washington.

Hezbollah is a key player in Lebanese politics, represented both in parliament and the cabinet.

The movement is militarily involved in the war in neighbouring Syria, having sent fighters to the aid of the Iran-allied regime.

In July, the US imposed sanctions on three senior Hezbollah officials in Lebanon, including two lawmakers, in the first such move against members of parliament.

At the end of August, powerful US financial sanctions were imposed on the Jammal Trust Bank in Lebanon, which was accused of acting as a key financial institution for Hezbollah, an arch-foe of US ally Israel.

The ship's docking comes as tensions spike between Hezbollah and Israel, including an exchange of cross-border fire on September 1.

Related Links
Naval Warfare in the 21st Century

Tweet

Thanks for being here; We need your help. The Space Media Network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain. With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords. Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year. If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceMediaNetwork Contributor $5 Billed Once credit card or paypal		SpaceMediaNetwork Monthly Supporter $5 Billed Monthly paypal only

Britain awards 1.3bn pound warship contract to Babcock
London (AFP) Sept 12, 2019
Britain on Thursday awarded a 1.3-billion pound ($1.5-billion, 1.4 billion-euro) contract for its new fleet of warships to a UK firm that will keep jobs at historic but struggling yards. The Babcock International consortium said it will begin manufacturing the five Type 31 general-purpose frigates in 2021 and deliver them in 2027. The ships will be assembled in Scotland and involve supply chains throughout the UK. "The UK is an outward-looking island nation and we need a shipbuilding industry and ... read more