US sends more fighter jets and ships to Middle East ahead of possible Iranian retaliation

0
2KB

The Pentagon will send an additional fighter squadron and more warships to the Middle East to help defend Israel should Iran react militarily to this week's assassination of Hamas' top political leader in Tehran that Iran has blamed on Israel.

The United States will also maintain an aircraft carrier presence in the Middle East as Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin ordered the USS Abraham Lincoln to replace the USS Theodore Roosevelt that was on a short-term deployment to the Middle East.

The deployments follow President Joe Biden's commitment to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday about "new defensive US military deployments" to the region.

PHOTO: An F-15E Strike Eagle assigned to the 492nd Fighter Squadron flies over Royal Air Force Lakenheath, England, May 10, 2018 (U.S. Air Force)
PHOTO: An F-15E Strike Eagle assigned to the 492nd Fighter Squadron flies over Royal Air Force Lakenheath, England, May 10, 2018 (U.S. Air Force)

 

Austin "ordered adjustments to U.S. military posture designed to improve U.S. force protection, to increase support for the defense of Israel, and to ensure the United States is prepared to respond to various contingencies," the Pentagon said in a statement issued Friday.

Austin also ordered the deployment of an additional fighter squadron to the Middle East "reinforcing our defensive air support capability," the statement said.

"Additionally, Secretary Austin has ordered additional ballistic missile defense-capable cruisers and destroyers to the U.S. European Command and U.S. Central Command regions," according to the statement.

"The Department is also taking steps to increase our readiness to deploy additional land-based ballistic missile defense," it continued.

PHOTO: An F/A-18 Hornet launches from the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72), on Oct. 14, 2010. (U.S. Navy)
PHOTO: An F/A-18 Hornet launches from the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72), on Oct. 14, 2010. (U.S. Navy)

This week's assassinations of Hamas' senior political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran and Fouad Shukur, a top Hezbollah commander, in Beirut, have raised concerns that an Iranian retaliation could spark a broad regional beyond Israel's war with Hamas.

The new deployments announced Friday will serve as a deterrent to prevent a larger conflict and are also intended to assist Israel should Iran reprise last April's missile barrage of hundreds of drones and ballistic missiles targeted at Israel in retaliation for an Israeli airstrike in Damascus, Syria, that killed a top Iranian military leader.

The overwhelming majority of those drones and missiles were shot down by a combination of Israeli air defense systems and U.S. fighter jets that had been deployed to the region ahead of a possible Iranian retaliation.

The deployment of the USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group will provide a consistent carrier presence in the region that might not have been possible if the USS Theodore Roosevelt Carrier Strike Group ended its short-term deployment to the region on time.

Currently deployed to the western Pacific, it's unclear when the Lincoln would arrive in the Middle East to replace the Roosevelt, which is currently in the Gulf of Oman.

There are six U.S. Navy destroyers currently deployed to the Middle East region, and it's possible that some of them could be moved through the Suez Canal into the Eastern Mediterranean as part of the moves ordered by Austin on Friday.

There are currently two other destroyers in the eastern Mediterranean that are part of a regular mission to provide ballistic missile defense capabilities in that region.

Also stationed in the eastern Mediterranean are the USS Wasp amphibious assault ship and two other amphibious ships that are carrying the 2,200 Marines from the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU)

U.S. officials have said that the ships and the Marines aboard could be used to carry out an evacuation of U.S. personnel in the region should that become necessary.

AfriPrime App link:  FREE to download...

https://www.amazon.com/Africircle-AfriPrime/dp/B0D2M3F2JT

Rechercher
Catégories
Lire la suite
Literature
SOFTWAER TESTING
Test Plan: A document outlining the testing strategy, objectives, schedule, estimation, and...
Par shilpa34 2024-05-22 06:54:33 0 2KB
Health
Digital Transformation Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report 2035
Digital Transformation Market Information 2025-2035 Digital Transformation Market Share is...
Par amols 2025-03-12 05:09:12 0 904
Autre
5 Amazing Places to Visit During Kullu Manali Trip
Among all the destinations in the Indian Himalayas, Kullu Manali is undoubtely the most...
Par rupaldatta 2025-01-04 09:53:55 0 2KB
Autre
Multi-Med Adherence Packaging Market, Key Players, Dynamics, Insights By 2032
Multi-Med Adherence Packaging Market Overview: The Multi-Med Adherence Packaging Market Size was...
Par davidblogs30 2024-09-11 09:13:59 0 1KB
Questions and Answers
Focus on Kenya- How does Kenya’s climate vary across different regions? By Hugo Keji
Kenya's climate varies significantly across its regions due to its diverse geography. The country...
Par Ikeji 2024-10-17 06:48:57 0 1KB