US increases military presence in the Middle East
The United States will move a fighter squadron to the Middle East and maintain an aircraft carrier in the region, the Pentagon said on August 2, boosting the US military presence to help defend Israel against possible attacks from Iran and its proxies, as well as protect US troops.
In a statement released Friday evening, the Pentagon said Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin had also ordered additional ballistic missile defense-capable cruisers and destroyers to the European and Middle East regions and was taking steps to send additional land-based ballistic missile defense assets there.
The changes fulfill a promise made by US President Joe Biden to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. According to the White House, in a phone call on the afternoon of August 1, Mr. Biden discussed new US military deployments to protect against potential attacks from ballistic missiles and drones. In April, US forces intercepted dozens of missiles and drones fired by Iran at Israel and helped down nearly all of them.
US leaders are concerned about escalating violence in the Middle East in response to recent Israeli strikes on Hamas and Hezbollah leaders, which have prompted threats of retaliation. Iran has also threatened to retaliate after Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh was assassinated in Tehran on Wednesday, a day after senior Hezbollah commander Fouad Shukur was killed in Beirut.
Israel has vowed to eliminate Hamas leaders after the group's attack on October 7, 2023, which sparked the war in Gaza.
Austin is ordering the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group to the Middle East to replace the USS Theodore Roosevelt carrier strike group, which is currently in the Gulf of Oman but is expected to return home later this summer. The decision signals the Pentagon’s decision to keep a carrier in the region as a deterrent to Iran at least until next year.
The Pentagon did not say where the fighter squadron would come from or where in the Middle East it would be based. Some allies in the region are often willing to host US forces but do not want to make that public.
The Pentagon has options for providing additional land-based ballistic missile defense capabilities, such as the Patriot system or the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system, both of which launch interceptor missiles from mobile launchers mounted on specialized trailers. The Pentagon has not specified which systems will be deployed to bolster defenses in the region.
The White House said in a statement that Mr Biden “reaffirmed his commitment to Israel’s security against all threats from Iran” including its proxy groups Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthis.
Earlier on August 2, Pentagon spokeswoman Sabrina Singh said the moves were underway. She said Austin “will direct multiple” force movements to provide additional support to Israel and enhance protection for US troops in the region.
Military and defense officials have considered a range of options, from adding ships and fighter squadrons to adding air defense systems or unmanned weapons. In many cases, the U.S. has not provided details because host nations are sensitive about the presence of additional U.S. forces and do not want to make such moves public.
It is not yet clear which new ships will be heading to the Middle East.
The US has had a continued presence of warships there and in the eastern Mediterranean, including two Navy destroyers, the USS Roosevelt and USS Bulkeley, as well as the USS Wasp and USS New York. The Wasp and New York are part of an amphibious ready group and carry a Marine expeditionary unit that could be used if US personnel need to be evacuated.
In addition, an unnamed US official said two US Navy destroyers currently in the Middle East will move north up the Red Sea toward the Mediterranean. At least one of them could remain in the Mediterranean if needed.
