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The United States Department of Defense has announced a significant increase in military assets deployed to the Middle East, citing potential retaliation from Iran against Israel. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin authorized the move as a precautionary measure, according to Al Jazeera correspondent Heidi Zhou-Castro.
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Key deployments include:
- Naval assets: The USS Abraham Lincoln, an aircraft carrier equipped with approximately 40 fighter jets, will replace the USS Theodore Roosevelt. The latter has been repositioned from the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman, closer to Israeli waters.
- Maritime reinforcements: Additional ballistic missile defense-capable cruisers and destroyers will be sent to the region.
- Air support: An extra fighter jet squadron will be dispatched to the Middle East.
- Land-based systems: The Pentagon is considering deploying more ballistic missile defense systems on land.
- Troop increase: Additional U.S. personnel may be sent to operate the newly deployed assets.
This military buildup follows a recent phone conversation between Secretary Austin and Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant. During the call, Austin reaffirmed the United States’ unwavering commitment to Israel’s defense.
The Pentagon stated that these measures aim to enhance readiness in the event of an attack by Iran or its proxies against Israel. This strategic repositioning underscores the escalating tensions in the region and the U.S. government’s proactive stance in supporting its allies.
