Amphibious US ship USS Mesa Verde moved to Persian Gulf
| WASHINGTON
Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel has ordered the amphibious transport dock ship聽USS聽Mesa聽Verde聽into the聽Persian聽Gulf聽as concern grows over a militant group's advancement toward Iraq's capital.
Pentagon spokesman Rear Adm. John Kirby says the聽Mesa聽Verde聽has already moved into the聽Gulf, joining the aircraft carrierUSS聽George H.W. Bush and other U.S. naval ships.
Kirby says the ships' presence will give President Barack Obama "additional options to protect American citizens and interests in Iraq."
The Pentagon says the聽Mesa聽Verde聽carries Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft that can be used for crisis response.
The State Department is reinforcing security at the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad and evacuating some personnel. The militant Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, or ISIL, has taken over several cities in northern Iraq.
