U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken (L) Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin (R) at a U.S. State Department meeting on North Korea in Washington, DC on Oct. 31, 2024. (Credit: Saul Loeb/AFP)
The United States has announced Friday the deployment of additional military assets to the Middle East, set to arrive "in the coming months" to support Israel’s defense and to issue a warning to Iran, according to a Pentagon statement cited by Reuters.
The additional resources build on previous U.S. defense deployments to the Middle East in support of Israel, including a THAAD missile defense system deployed to the country late last month, operated by American troops on the ground. The statement specifies that the deployment includes additional ballistic missile defense destroyers, a squadron of fighter jets, refueling aircraft, and several long-range B-52 bomber aircraft.
"Should Iran, its partners, or its proxies use this moment to target American personnel or interests in the region, the United States will take every measure necessary to defend our people," Pentagon spokesman Major General Pat Ryder said in a statement.
The Pentagon clarified that these forces are expected to arrive in stages over the coming months, while the "USS Abraham Lincoln" aircraft carrier strike group prepares to exit the region.
Israel launched significant strikes against Iran on Oct. 26, targeting military infrastructure in Iran while steering clear of critical nuclear and oil sites.
Iran has carried out two major attacks against Israel in 2024 — one in April after an Israeli strike on its consulate in Damascus, and another in October that Tehran said was in response to Israel's assassination of Hamas Political Bureau leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran, Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah and Iranian brigadier general of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Abbas Nilforoushan in Lebanon.
Observers warn the continued military operations between the regional rivals could escalate further.