United States to boost military presence in Middle East
The Pentagon announced on Friday that a fighter jet squadron will be deployed to the Middle East in order to strengthen the United States' military presence in the area. Tensions have escalated in the region after the deaths of senior Hezbollah leader Fuad Shukr in Beirut and Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran, Iran.
- World
- DPA
- Published Date: 11:17 | 03 August 2024
- Modified Date: 11:17 | 03 August 2024
The US Department of Defense continued to take steps to "mitigate the possibility of regional escalation by Iran or Iran's partners and proxies," deputy Pentagon press secretary Sabrina Singh said.
"Since the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, the Secretary of Defense [Lloyd Austin] has reiterated that the United States will protect our personnel and interests in the region, including our ironclad commitment to the defense of Israel."
Austin had ordered "adjustments to US military posture" to improve force protection, increase support for the defense of Israel, and ensure the US was prepared to respond to various contingencies, Singh said.
As well as the deployment of an additional fighter squadron, Austin had also ordered additional ballistic missile defense-capable cruisers and destroyers to the US European Command and US Central Command regions.
Austin also ordered the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier strike group to the Middle East to replace the USS Theodore Roosevelt carrier strike group, currently deployed in the Central Command.
"The United States also remains intently focused on de-escalating tensions in the region and pushing for a ceasefire as part of a hostage deal to bring the hostages home and end the war in Gaza," Singh said.
Tensions in the region have risen following the killing of senior Hezbollah commander Fuad Shukr in Beirut and Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh in the Iranian capital, Tehran.
Senior US officials have played down the risks of an increase in hostilities in the Middle East, stating an escalation is neither inevitable nor imminent.
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