US military destroyer docks at Israel's Eilat port

The deployment comes as Trump signalled he was open to talks with Iran, even as Washington dispatched additional military assets to the Middle East

FE Team | Published: January 30, 2026 22:34:14

A US Navy destroyer has docked at the Israeli port of Eilat, Israel's Ynet news website reported on Friday, citing the military, as tensions between Washington and Iran escalate, report agencies.
Ynet said the arrival of the destroyer at the southern port on the Gulf of Aqaba, near Israel's borders with Egypt and Jordan, was pre-planned and part of ongoing cooperation between the US and Israeli militaries.
The US Navy and Israeli military did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.
The deployment comes as US President Donald Trump signalled he was open to talks with Iran, even as Washington dispatched additional military assets to the Middle East.
A US defence official told Reuters the military could not discuss operational details for security reasons, adding that the safety of service members was the top priority.
Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth said the US military was prepared to carry out whatever course of action the president decides.
Trump has warned Iran to return to negotiations over its nuclear programme or face far harsher US action, while Tehran has threatened retaliation against the United States, Israel and their allies.
Trump has also said the US has an "armada" heading towards Iran, though he said he hoped it would not be used.
Turkey is willing to help "de-escalate" tensions between Tehran and Washington, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told Iranian counterpart Masoud Pezeshkian in a phone call on Friday, his office said.
Erdogan "emphasised that Turkey is ready to assume a facilitating role between Iran and the United States to de-escalate the tensions and resolve the issues," it said, noting the pair had discussed the "escalating military tensions in the region".
The call came as Iran's top diplomat Abbas Araghchi was in Istanbul for top-level talks on the matter.
Earlier on Thursday US President Donald Trump said he hoped to avoid military action against Iran, saying he planned to have further talks with Tehran on a possible nuclear deal.
"I built (up) the military in my first term, and now we have a group headed out to a place called Iran, and hopefully we won't have to use it," Trump told reporters at the premiere of a documentary about his wife Melania.
Asked if he would have talks with Iran, Trump added: "I have had and I am planning on it. Yes, we have a lot of very big, very powerful ships sailing to Iran right now, and it would be great if we didn't have to use them."