The U.S. military has announced its plans to bolster missile defense systems in the Middle East in response to what it describes as “escalations” from Iran and its regional allies. These actions are seen as a response to threats of a broader conflict in the region. Simultaneously, Israel has signaled its intentions to launch an invasion of Gaza following a deadly incursion by Hamas earlier this month.
Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III revealed that the United States is dispatching a Thaad battery and additional Patriot battalions, two formidable missile defense assets, to the region. The specific locations and number of battalions to be deployed were not disclosed, and it remains unclear how many troops will be “prepared to deploy.” Additionally, the U.S.S. Dwight D. Eisenhower aircraft carrier will be redirected to the Central Command’s area of responsibility, encompassing a significant portion of the Middle East, including Israel and Lebanon.
Since the attack by Hamas on Israel on October 7, which resulted in the deaths of over 1,400 Israelis, the United States has increased its military presence in the region and supplied additional military equipment to Israel. This buildup is in preparation for a potential ground invasion of the Gaza Strip by Israel. President Biden, in a rare address from the Oval Office, issued a warning to Iran and its allies against joining the conflict and expressed his intention to seek an additional $14 billion in military aid for Israel from Congress.
In the past two weeks, Iran and its regional allies have adopted a more confrontational tone against Israel and the United States, making threats of opening new fronts in the conflict if the U.S. becomes further involved. Last week, a U.S. Navy warship in the northern Red Sea intercepted three cruise missiles and several drones launched from Yemen, suspected to be targeting Israel. The Pentagon views these incidents as indications of increased attacks by Iranian-backed groups in the region, including Houthi rebels in Yemen, raising concerns of a broader regional war.
Along Israel’s northern border with Lebanon, Hezbollah, a militia with Iranian backing, has engaged in exchanges of fire with Israeli forces in the past week. Israel has also conducted airstrikes on airports in Syria, which Iran uses to supply arms to its allies, since October 7.
The United States has already deployed 2,000 Marines and sailors to the region and ordered an additional 2,000 troops to prepare for deployment since October 7. It remains uncertain how many more troops were instructed on Saturday to be on standby. The decision to redirect the Eisenhower aircraft carrier followed Secretary Austin’s order to move the U.S.S. Gerald R. Ford, another carrier already in the Mediterranean, closer to Israel.
{Matzav.com}
