U.S. Destroyer Docks In Israel’s Red Sea Port Amid Rising Iran Tensions

A U.S. Navy guided-missile destroyer, the USS Delbert D. Black, docked Friday at Israel’s Red Sea port of Eilat amid ongoing tensions between the Trump administration and the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said the vessel’s arrival was pre-planned and part of the ongoing cooperation between American and Israeli forces, the Times of Israel reported. The port call comes as Washington continues to reposition military assets across the Middle East, including the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier strike group.

President Donald Trump has repeatedly touted the “massive armada” that is moving toward Iran as he pressures the regime to negotiate a nuclear deal and stop killing anti-regime protesters.

The USS Dilbert D. Black docked in Eilat, Israel today.

The ship is an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer capable of defending against aircraft and missiles and launching Tomahawk cruise missiles.

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The USS Delbert D. Black was tracked sailing through the Suez Canal earlier this week toward the Gulf, making it likely the tenth American warship operating in the area of responsibility for U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), which oversees American forces across the Middle East, Central Asia, and parts of South Asia.

The vessel is an Arleigh Burke–class destroyer designed to counter threats in the air, on land, at sea, and underwater. It is equipped with the AEGIS combat system, which can defend against aircraft, missiles, and surface threats, and is capable of launching long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles. More than 30 Tomahawks were used in the U.S. strike on Iranian nuclear sites in June 2025.

According to the U.S. Navy, 73 Arleigh Burke-class destroyers are currently in commission, with 10 under construction and another 16 under contract.

American warships frequently operate in the Red Sea, though port calls in Eilat are relatively rare. In 2022, the USS Nitze docked in Eilat, followed by a visit from the USS Truxtun in 2023.