The United States said it will strengthen its military presence in the Middle East.
Washington:
The United States will boost its military presence in the Middle East by deploying additional warships and fighter jets to protect American personnel and defend Israel amid rising tensions in the region, the Pentagon said Friday.
The announcement comes as Iran and its regional allies vowed retaliation for the killings of a Hamas leader in Tehran and a Hezbollah commander in Beirut, fueling fears of a wider conflict in the Middle East.
“The Department of Defense continues to take steps to limit the possibility of regional escalation by Iran or Iran’s partners and allies,” Pentagon Deputy Press Secretary Sabrina Singh said in a statement.
“Since the horrific Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, the Secretary of Defense has reiterated that the United States will protect our personnel and interests in the region, including our strong commitment to Israel’s defense.”
The aircraft carrier strike group led by the USS Abraham Lincoln will replace the group led by the USS Theodore Roosevelt in the region, Singh said.
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has also ordered additional ballistic missile defense-capable cruisers and destroyers for the Middle East and areas under U.S. European Command, as well as a new Middle East fighter squadron.
Israel killed Hezbollah commander Fuad Shukr in Beirut on Tuesday, a move it said was in response to last week’s deadly rocket fire in the annexed Golan Heights.
Hours later, Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh was killed in the Iranian capital – an attack on which Israel has not yet commented.
A source close to Hezbollah told AFP that Iranian officials met in Tehran on Wednesday with representatives of the so-called “axis of resistance”, a loose alliance of Tehran-backed groups hostile to Israel, to discuss their next steps.
“Two scenarios were discussed: a simultaneous response from Iran and its allies or a staggered response from each side,” said the source, who was briefed on the meeting and requested anonymity to discuss sensitive matters.
In April, Iran carried out its first direct attack on Israeli territory, firing a barrage of drones and missiles after an attack blamed on Israel killed Revolutionary Guards at Tehran’s consulate in Damascus.
US troops helped defend Israel from 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 ability to deploy at short notice to meet evolving national security threats,” Singh said .
“The United States also remains intently focused on de-escalating tensions in the region and pushing for a ceasefire as part of a hostage agreement to bring the hostages home and end the war in Gaza.”
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