US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said that after talks with President Joe Biden, he had taken steps to strengthen his position in the Middle East.
This is stated in a statement by the US Department of Defense.
“After discussing with President Biden the recent escalation by Iran and its proxies in the Middle East, I have ordered a number of additional steps to further strengthen the U.S. Department of Defense’s posture in the region. These steps will strengthen regional deterrence efforts, enhance the protection of U.S. forces in the region, and help defend Israel,” the statement said.
The Minister noted that he had redirected the strike group of the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower to the area of responsibility of the Central Command. This is in addition to the USS Gerald R. Ford, which operates in the eastern Mediterranean.
“This carrier strike group will further strengthen our forces and enhance our capabilities and ability to respond to a variety of contingencies,” Austin said.
The Pentagon chief also ordered the deployment of a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery and additional Patriot battalions to locations across the region.
In addition, Austin ordered additional emergency forces to be trained to increase their ability to respond quickly to calls.
- On October 19, a U.S. destroyer shot down three surface missiles and several drones, which were allegedly launched by Houthi militants from Yemen.
- In addition, on October 19, US military bases in the Middle East were attacked by drones and missiles, and on October 18, UAVs attempted to attack a US Army base in Iraq.
