New Delhi, May 12 -- The arrival of a US Navy Ohio-class ballistic missile submarine in Gibraltar has intensified speculation that Washington is escalating military pressure against Iran as tensions surrounding the Strait of Hormuz move closer to open confrontation.

The US Naval Forces Europe and Africa confirmed on Monday that a ballistic missile submarine docked in Gibraltar on May 10, describing the deployment as a demonstration of American "capability, flexibility, and continuing commitment" to NATO allies.

Military analysts and ship observers widely identified the submarine as the USS Alaska, an Ohio-class nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine capable of carrying up to 20 Trident II D5 nuclear missiles. The submarine entered ...