The Pentagon on Saturday stepped up US military readiness in the Middle East in response to what it said were “recent escalations by Iran and its proxy forces” across the region.
The US has sent a significant amount of naval power to the Middle East in the past few weeks, including two aircraft carriers, their support ships and about 2,000 Marines.
US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin ordered the activation of air defense systems and notified additional forces that they might be deployed soon.
Photo: AFP / Robert Durr / Defense Visual Information Distribution Service
Austin did not say how many US troops would be added to those already in the region.
The Pentagon’s moves came after what Austin described in a statement as “detailed discussions” with US President Joe Biden.
“These steps will bolster regional deterrence efforts, increase force protection for US forces in the region, and assist in the defense of Israel,” Austin said.
The moves continued the Biden administration’s response since Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip stormed Israel on Oct. 7, taking more than 200 people hostage and killing at least 1,400 people, Israeli officials said.
Israel has since vowed to destroy Hamas, and has said that about 1,500 of the group’s fighters were killed in clashes before its army regained control of the area initially under attack.
Austin said he had activated deployment of a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery and additional Patriot battalions “throughout the region.”
“Finally, I have placed an additional number of forces on prepare to deploy orders as part of prudent contingency planning, to increase their readiness and ability to quickly respond as required,” he said.
The deployments come two years after the Biden administration withdrew air defense systems from the Middle East, citing a reduction in tensions with Iran.
The Patriot, considered one of the most advanced US air defense systems, is usually in short supply, with allies around the world vying for it.
The THAAD system has a powerful radar. US deployment of the system to South Korea in 2016 angered China, which believed it could peer into its airspace.
Armed factions close to Iran have threatened to attack US interests in Iraq over Washington’s support for Israel. One of them, the Hezbollah Brigades, demanded that US forces “leave” Iraq, “otherwise they will taste the fires of hell.”
US troops stationed at two bases in Iraq were targeted with rocket attacks on Friday that caused no casualties, while yesterday Katyusha rockets targeted the Ain al-Asad Air Base, which hosts US and other international forces in western Iraq, and one blast was heard inside the facility, two army sources said.
On Saturday, defense systems at Ain al-Asad intercepted and shot down two drones while they were hovering near the base.
A statement issued on Telegram channels used by pro-Iranian armed groups said the attack was carried out by an organization calling itself the Islamic Resistance in Iraq.
Since Wednesday, three Iraqi bases used by US-led coalition troops have been targeted in five separate attacks — Ain al-Assad, the Al-Harir Air Base in northern Iraq and a military camp near Baghdad International Airport.
The US currently has about 2,500 troops stationed at the three bases, alongside about 1,000 soldiers from other countries in the coalition set up to fight the Islamic State.
Additional reporting by Reuters
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