US Bolsters Presence in Middle East with More Warships & Fighter Jets
The United States will increase its military presence in the Middle East, deploying more warships and fighter jets to safeguard US personnel and defend Israel as regional tensions rise, the Pentagon announced Friday.
The declaration comes after Iran and its regional allies threatened vengeance over the killings of a Hamas leader in Tehran and a Hezbollah commander in Beirut, raising worries of a wider Middle East conflict.
“The Department of Defense continues to take steps to mitigate the possibility of regional escalation by Iran or Iran’s partners and proxies,” deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Sabrina Singh stated.
Since the horrible Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, the Secretary of Defense has underlined that the United States will protect its personnel and interests in the region, including its unwavering commitment to Israel’s defense.”
The aircraft carrier strike group led by the USS Abraham Lincoln would replace the one led by the USS Theodore Roosevelt in the region, Singh stated.
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has also authorized more ballistic missile defense-capable cruisers and destroyers for the Middle East and areas under US European Command, as well as a new fighter squadron for the region.Israel assassinated Hezbollah commander Fuad Shukr in Beirut on Tuesday, claiming it was in reaction to fatal rocket firing last week on the disputed Golan Heights.
Hours later, Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh was slain in Tehran, an attack on which Israel has yet to respond.
According to a Hezbollah source, Iranian officials gathered in Tehran on Wednesday with leaders of the so-called “axis of resistance,” a loose alliance of Tehran-backed anti-Israeli factions, to plan their future measures.
Two scenarios were discussed: a simultaneous response from Iran and its allies or a staggered response from each party,” said the source, who had been briefed on the meeting, requesting anonymity to discuss sensitive matters.
In April, Iran carried out its first direct attack on Israeli soil, firing a barrage of drones and missiles after a strike blamed on Israel killed Revolutionary Guards at Tehran’s consulate in Damascus.
American forces helped defend Israel against the attack.
“As we have demonstrated since October and again in April, the United States’ global defense is dynamic and the Department of Defense retains the capability to deploy on short notice to meet evolving national security threats,” Singh said.
The United States is likewise set on de-escalating tensions in the region and pressing for a ceasefire as part of a hostage arrangement to bring the hostages home and end the war in Gaza.”
AFP
