The U.S. Sixth Fleet announced Monday that an Ohio-class ballistic missile submarine (SSBN) arrived in Gibraltar on May 10, 2026, in a rare public disclosure of an operational strategic nuclear asset’s location.
Gibraltar Broadcasting Corporation and local reports identified the vessel as USS Alaska (SSBN-732), a Trident II D5-capable submarine homeported at Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay, Georgia. The 6th Fleet’s statement did not name the submarine. “The port visit demonstrates U.S. capability, flexibility and continuing commitment to its NATO allies,” the fleet said. “Ohio-class ballistic missile submarines are undetectable launch platforms for submarine-launched ballistic missiles, providing the U.S. with its most survivable leg of the nuclear triad.”
The disclosure came one day after President Donald Trump rejected Iran’s ceasefire counterproposal on Truth Social, calling it “TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE,” and on Monday declared the ceasefire “on life support.”
Iranian Army spokesperson Brig. Gen. Mohammad Akraminia warned of “surprising options” if adversaries made another “miscalculation,” according to Iranian state media.
Iran Army Brig. Gen. Akraminia warned of ‘surprising options’ and ‘new arenas of war’ if the US miscalculates again. New Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei — silent since the war began — separately issued ‘new and decisive directives’ for military ops. #Hormuz
— Hormuz Watch (@HormuzWatch) May 11, 2026
USS Alaska arrived under close escort from Gibraltar Squadron patrol craft, Gibraltar Defence Police units, and Royal Marines fleet protection detachments that had pre-positioned on the Rock via RAF transport aircraft. Two tugboats maneuvered the 170.7-meter vessel into its berth at South Mole, where a 200-meter maritime exclusion zone was enforced.
USS ALASKA SSBN 732 🇺🇸
Gibraltar May 10 2026 pic.twitter.com/iKjyGWZ3cO— Peter Ferrary (@PeterFerrary) May 10, 2026
The choice of port carries distinct diplomatic weight. USS Alaska bypassed Naval Station Rota, Spain, just nearly 88 miles away, and docked at British-controlled Gibraltar instead. Spain has refused to allow U.S. forces to use its Rota and Morón bases for operations against Iran, a decision that prompted Trump to threaten trade restrictions and troop withdrawals. Spain formally protested a 2022 U.S. submarine stop at Gibraltar over that same base-access dispute.
President Donald Trump said the monthlong ceasefire between the United States and Iran is on “massive life support,” calling it “unbelievably weak.” Follow live updates. https://t.co/iUS9FEhccI pic.twitter.com/81HJ583tT8
— CNN (@CNN) May 11, 2026
Trump declared Monday that the U.S.-Iran ceasefire was “unbelievably weak.”
