US cancels shore leave for warship after Marines attacked in Turkey

US Marines assigned to the USS Wasp amphibious warship that is in port in Turkey have had their shore leave canceled following an attack on two Marines during a port visit to Izmir, a US defense official told The Associated Press.

The Wasp has been sailing in the eastern Mediterranean in a show of support for Israel and to be able to come to Israel’s defense if the war in Gaza escalates into a larger regional conflict.

A second military official says no changes are anticipated to the Wasp’s in-port schedule. The official does not have further details to share on what prompted the attack on Monday, saying that the Naval Criminal Investigative Service is still looking into it.

Turkey’s state-run Anadolu news agency reported on Monday that authorities detained 15 members of an anti-American youth organization who physically assaulted two US military personnel in the city of Izmir.