‘Ready for anything’: US aircraft carrier crew training for war with Russia but aims to deter threats
The crew of a giant US aircraft carrier in European waters says they are ready to fight Russia if the call comes but their mission is to deter threats and prevent escalation.
The USS George H W Bush is helping to test NATO’s ability to defend itself – a mission that became all the more real in the wake of Russia’s war in Ukraine.
In the past few days, F18 jets have flown from the carrier in southern Europe all the way out to Lithuania and Poland on the alliance’s eastern edge, close to Russia, operating alongside warplanes from other allied nations and with NATO warships and ground troops.
The commander of the carrier strike group told Sky News his message to Russia is that his men and women “are ready for any mission”.
“We want peace – it’s what everybody wants,” Rear Admiral Dennis Velez said, speaking inside a hangar on board the ship, which holds more than 70 jets, helicopters and other aircraft.
“We want the war [in Ukraine] to be over and to bring stability back to the region and have a peaceful and stable Europe – but, for us, we are ready.”
Asked if that meant he was ready for war if necessary, the admiral said: “This ship, this strike group, our allies: we are ready for anything. We demonstrate that every day.”
At least two Russian warships have been watching the action, which forms part of a series of NATO activities, from a safe distance, as have Russian aircraft.
“We have seen them,” said Rear Admiral Velez, speaking on Tuesday as the strike group of the aircraft carrier and escort ships sailed through the Adriatic Sea, off the coast of Italy.
As to what was said to the Russians, he answered: “Nothing… They have the same right as we do to operate in international waters, so we just follow international law and the rules of the road.”
The vicinity of Russia’s military and the knowledge that Russian forces are locked in a brutal war with Ukraine – which is not part of NATO but shares borders with members of the alliance – means operating in Europe is no longer just another peacetime training exercise for the more than 5,000-strong crew of US sailors on the carrier.
“It is a real change,” said Lieutenant Cordan Mackenzie, 27, one of the F18 pilots on board. Her call sign is ‘Big Poppa’.
“Most of the time what we are doing, it feels like training, it feels like a game but you come out here and have intel [intelligence] briefings and you fly missions with NATO allies and it really solidifies how real the things that we do in the world are and how important our mission set is: having a presence here in the Adriatic and having the US work with our NATO allies to make sure the world knows we are still a power to be reckoned with.”
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‘Dirty bomb’ claims ‘not unfounded’
She, and her fellow aviators, face the possibility of one day being ordered to fight in air-to-air combat against the Russians should tensions escalate significantly.
It is a type of operation that US, British and other Western pilots did not have to contemplate during the long war in Afghanistan when they were not pitted against a rival air force.
“It is daunting,” said Lieutenant Mackenzie.
“It is one of the things that you just have to rely on your training. Without a doubt, I think US-trained navy pilots are the best in the world… All we do out here is train and get ready for a fight that might come and I think when it comes, pilot to pilot, I hope we are the better man in the box.”
The carrier is taking part in a relatively new NATO series of activities called Neptune, which – unlike longer-planned, more predictable, annual exercises – allows allies to be faster, more flexible and more dynamic with how they test their maritime, air and land capabilities.
This is designed to improve their ability to deter Russia – a task that allies have focused on even more intensely following Vladimir Putin’s all-out invasion of Ukraine on 24 February.
“We have stepped up our readiness, our preparedness and strengthened the way we work together across the alliance to prevent and defend every inch of NATO territory,” Jens Stoltenberg, the secretary general of NATO, told Sky News on a visit to the carrier.
For example, he said this was also only the third time since the end of the Cold War that a US aircraft carrier group has come under NATO command, with all three of those occasions happening as part of Neptune drills in the past year.
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‘Dirty bomb’ claims ‘not unfounded’
The NATO chief also voiced new concern about Ukraine after Russia falsely alleged the Ukrainians were planning to use a radioactive “dirty bomb” on their own territory. The claim could be part of a “false flag” plot by Moscow to launch such an attack and blame Kyiv.
Read more:
What is a ‘dirty bomb’ and is Russia planning to blow up the Nova Kakhovka dam?
“Russia has accused others of things they intend to do themselves, so we need to monitor closely what Russia now does. And they must know that use of a dirty bomb or a radiological bomb is a serious escalation,” Mr Stoltenberg said.
Asked how NATO would respond to such an attack, he said: “It will be a very serious escalation.”
Allies are also concerned that Vladimir Putin could even resort to a nuclear strike as his forces suffer defeats at the hands of Ukraine’s military, backed by Western weapons.
The head of NATO said: “The likelihood of any use of a nuclear weapon in Ukraine remains low, at the same time the consequences are so devastating, so enormous it is a risk we have to take seriously.”
Donald Trump has said a ceasefire in Gaza will begin “immediately” after Hamas agrees to a new US plan to end the war.
The US president said Israel had “agreed to the initial withdrawal line” and “when Hamas confirms”, the ceasefire will start, Israeli hostages will be released and a prisoner exchange will begin.
In a post on his Truth Social platform, Mr Trump said it would “create the conditions for the next phase of withdrawal, which will bring us close to the end of this 3,000-year catastrophe”.
Pic: Reuters
It came as Hamas accused the Israeli government of lying about reducing its military operations, accusing it of continuing to “commit its horrific crimes and massacres” against Palestinians in Gaza, claiming 70 people had been killed by strikes since Saturday morning.
The group said it “exposes the false claims of the war criminal Netanyahu’s government regarding scaling back military operations against defenceless civilians”.
It comes after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said he hopes to announce the release of all hostages from Gaza “in the coming days”.
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Hostage release could happen ‘in coming days’
Mr Netanyahu made the remarks as indirect talks with Hamas continue in Egypt on a new US plan to end the war.
Speaking after Hamas said it had accepted some elements of the plan, Mr Netanyahu said he had sent the delegation to Egypt “to finalise technical details”, adding that “our goal is to contain these negotiations to a timeframe of a few days”.
Donald Trump has welcomed Hamas’s statement, but on Saturday warned the group “must move quickly, or else all bets will be off”.
Read more:
Why Trump accepted the Hamas peace plan response
Sky News investigation reveals Israel’s support for Gaza militia
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Sky News witnesses Israeli offensive in Gaza City
Trump orders Israel to stop bombing Gaza
Earlier in the day, Israel’s army said the country’s leaders had instructed it to prepare for the first phase of the US plan to end the war in Gaza.
Israel has moved to a defensive-only position in Gaza and will not actively strike, one official said, adding that no forces have been removed from the territory.
It came hours after Mr Trump ordered Israel to stop bombing Gaza after Hamas said it accepted some elements of his plan.
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Are we at the ‘end game’ of the Gaza war?
What’s in the peace plan?
Mr Trump’s proposed plan to end the war has widespread international support and on Friday, Mr Netanyahu’s office said Israel was committed to bringing the conflict to an end.
Under the plan, Hamas would release the remaining 48 hostages, of which around 20 are believed to still be alive, within three days. It would also give up power in Gaza and disarm.
In return, Israel would end its offensive and withdraw from much of Gaza, as well as release hundreds of Palestinian prisoners and allow an influx of humanitarian aid and eventual reconstruction.
Hamas has said it is willing to release the hostages and hand over power to other Palestinians, but argued other aspects of the plan require further consultations among Palestinians. Its statement did not address the issue of Hamas demilitarising, which is a key part of the deal.
Warning ‘extremists on both sides’ could sabotage peace plan
A group representing some families of hostages said the prospect of seeing their loved ones return “has never been closer” and they appealed to Mr Trump to keep pushing “with full force”.
They warned “extremists on both sides” would try to sabotage the plan.
The war began when Hamas attacked Israel on 7 October 2023, killing 1,200 people and taking 251 hostage.
Since then, at least 67,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israel’s war with Hamas in Gaza, according to the enclave’s Hamas-run health ministry, which does not differentiate between civilians and combatants in its count, but says women and children make up around half of the dead.
US
Trump tells Israel ‘stop bombing Gaza’ – as Hamas agrees to release Israeli hostages, and to parts of peace deal
Donald Trump has said Hamas is ready for a “lasting peace” after the Palestinian militants agreed to release all remaining hostages, as he called on Israel to stop bombing Gaza.
The US leader was responding to a statement by Hamas on Friday in which the group committed to returning all remaining hostages in Gaza, dead and alive.
Hamas also said it wants to engage in negotiations to discuss further details of the president’s peace plan, including handing over “administration of the enclave to a Palestinian body of independent technocrats”.
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‘This is a very special day’
However, other aspects of the 20-point document, it warned, would require further consultation among Palestinians.
The Hamas statement came after Mr Trump warned he would unleash “all hell” if they did not respond to his peace plan, announced earlier this week, by Sunday.
Following the group’s response, the president said there was now a real chance of peace.
“I believe they are ready for a lasting PEACE,” Mr Trump posted on Truth Social. “Israel must immediately stop the bombing of Gaza, so that we can get the Hostages out safely and quickly!
“Right now, it’s far too dangerous to do that. We are already in discussions on details to be worked out. This is not about Gaza alone, this is about long sought PEACE in the Middle East.”
In a video later posted on his social media platform, Mr Trump called it a “very special day” and said the end of the war was “very close”.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel was prepared for the implementation of the “first stage” of Mr Trump’s plan, apparently in reference to the release of hostages.
Moshe Emilio Lavi, brother-in-law of Israeli hostage Omri Miran, told Sky News he “can’t wait” to see his family reunited.
“We’ve received necessary guarantees from President Trump and the wider international community and now we have to keep pressuring Hamas to ensure that they abide by the Trump framework, that they disarm and release all the hostages within the 72 hours the framework outlines.
“There should be no buts and no delays, there should be only a yes to President Trump’s vision to end the conflict and bring home all the remaining hostages.”
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Trump’s Sunday deadline threat
Starmer calls for ‘agreement without delay’
Sir Keir Starmer said Hamas’s partial acceptance of the peace plan was a “significant step forwards” and called for an “agreement without delay”.
The prime minister said Mr Trump’s efforts “have brought us closer to peace than ever before” and added: “There is now an opportunity to end the fighting, for the hostages to return home, and for humanitarian aid to reach those who so desperately need it.
“We call on all sides to implement the agreement without delay.”
He went on to say the UK was ready to support further negotiations and work “towards sustainable peace for Israelis and Palestinians alike”.
Read more:
If Hamas and Israel agree on a peace deal, it will be Trump’s success
Investigation reveals Israel’s support for Gaza militia
Praise and fury for Trump’s Gaza peace deal
French President Emmanuel Macron said “the release of all hostages and a ceasefire in Gaza are within reach”, while a spokesperson for UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres urged “all parties to seize the opportunity”.
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Hamas agrees to release hostages
The breakthrough came just hours after Mr Trump had set the Sunday deadline to respond to his proposals, backed by the Arab nations.
The US president and the Israeli prime minister unveiled the peace plan at the White House on Monday.
Israel agreed to the terms, which include an immediate ceasefire; the release of all hostages; Hamas disarming; a guarantee no one will be forced to leave Gaza and a governing “peace panel” including Sir Tony Blair.
And on Friday, a statement from Hamas confirmed “its approval to release all prisoners of the occupation – whether alive or the remains of the deceased – according to the exchange framework included in President Trump’s proposal”.
Israel estimates 48 hostages remain in Gaza, 20 of whom are alive.
Hamas official says group will not disarm ‘before Israeli occupation ends’
The group also said it was ready to engage in negotiations through mediators and it appreciated “Arab, Islamic and international efforts, as well as the efforts of US President Donald Trump”.
But, Hamas official Mousa Abu Marzouk told Al Jazeera news the group would not disarm “before the Israeli occupation ends”.
Hamas does not know where all hostages are
Sky News Middle East correspondent Adam Parsons said the “most important part” of the Hamas response was that it showed a willingness to do a deal.
“The peace plan could have died – Hamas could have rejected it – but it is still alive.”
He said there were still “huge obstacles” which would prevent outright acceptance though.
In spite of a pledge to release hostages, he said Hamas did not entirely know where all of them were – some were even being held by other groups.
Hamas’s support for a new government for Palestine was positive, he said, but the specification in the Hamas response that it should be purely Palestinian and not, as Mr Trump had proposed, a “panel” that included external representatives, would be problematic.
We are in the endgame. Nearly exactly two years since the Hamas attacks of 7 October 2023, it looks like we are on the brink of a breakthrough.
The diplomacy of the past 12 hours has been head-spinning and uniquely Trumpian. Assuming everything holds, this is Donald Trump‘s success. It is the consequence of his unorthodox style, his ability to call the shots and crucially his willingness to do so now.
The tragedy is that it could have happened many months ago. But that doesn’t make it any less significant a moment now.
Word came from Hamas late afternoon on Friday Washington time that the group had responded to Mr Trump’s 20-point plan for peace in Gaza, which he unveiled at the White House on Monday.
Donald Trump. Pic: Reuters
Within minutes, the US president had posted the Hamas response on his own social media. It was clear from the wording of the Hamas statement that it was by no means an unequivocal acceptance of the 20-point plan.
But then, via his press secretary, again on social media, a clear indication that the US president was reading the Hamas statement as an acceptance of his deal even though, in black and white, it falls short of that.
“President Trump responds to Hamas’ acceptance of his Peace Plan,” Karoline Leavitt wrote.
Hamas had basically said “yes, but” to Mr Trump’s 20-point plan, and yet intriguingly Mr Trump was choosing to take it as an acceptance of his plan.
Then, moments later, the president spelt it out, again on social media, and with game-changing demands – not for Hamas, but for Israel.
A remarkable statement
“Based on the Statement just issued by Hamas, I believe they are ready for a lasting PEACE. Israel must immediately stop the bombing of Gaza, so that we can get the Hostages out safely and quickly! Right now, it’s far too dangerous to do that. We are already in discussions on details to be worked out. This is not about Gaza alone, this is about long sought PEACE in the Middle East.”
This was a remarkable statement and represents a huge moment. Neither Mr Trump, nor Joe Biden before him, has ever asked this of Israel before. The American president was telling Israel to stop; to stand its military down and to bring this war to an end. Extraordinary.
Read more:
Sky News investigation reveals Israel’s support for Gaza militia
Praise and fury for Trump’s Gaza peace deal
For the first time in this two-year war, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is in a corner. President Trump has put him there.
Mr Trump and his team know that the Hamas response does not yet commit to disarmament and it does not yet agree to fully disband – both conditions of the 20-point plan. But Hamas does commit to releasing all the hostages now. And for Mr Trump, who wants this over, that’s enough.
The word from Israel overnight is that Mr Netanyahu did not expect the US president to take this position because he sees the Hamas response as a rejection of the 20-point plan.
On Monday, Mr Netanyahu said Mr Trump was the best friend Israel had ever had. But Mr Trump is not an ideologue. He is pragmatic, he is a deal-maker, he wants to further his Abraham Accords, he wants to be a winner, and he wants the Nobel Peace Prize.
He can also see where the chips are falling. His 20-point plan has unanimous support across Europe and among Muslim majority countries, which all seem to accept that Hamas as an organisation is over.
Israeli attack on Hamas in Qatar was pivot point
Public opinion is also a factor. The number of Americans with an unfavourable view of Israel and its Gaza policy has been steadily rising.
President Trump’s own view of Mr Netanyahu’s Israel has also evolved. The two men have never actually been close. And the Israeli attack on Hamas negotiators in Qatar last month really angered Mr Trump and his advisors. They saw it as a clear undermining of the Gaza negotiations. It was a pivot point for Mr Trump.
The diplomacy behind the scenes, through the Qatari government mediators and others, has been intense, particularly this past week. The challenge has been to persuade the military wing of Hamas, in Gaza, to get to the position outlined in their statement.
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Witkoff ‘hopeful’ on Gaza plan
Mr Trump’s Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, told me on Monday: “I am hopeful, I really am. All the stakeholders in this want to see it happen and the president believes it is going to happen and he is dug in.”
I was sceptical. Maybe I was wrong to be. Still, there are huge immediate challenges in the hours and days ahead.
But the overnight news that the Israeli Defence Forces have shifted to defensive operations is a huge development.
There is a genuine momentum for peace right now. This could be the moment.
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