US Sending More Warships, Fighter Jets To Middle East Amid Rising Tensions

“The U.S. will move a fighter jet squadron to the Middle East and maintain an aircraft carrier in the region,” the Pentagon said on August 2, beefing up the American military presence to help defend Israel from possible attacks by Iran and its proxies and safeguard U.S. troops.

“Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin has also ordered additional ballistic missile defence-capable cruisers and destroyers to the European and Middle East regions and is taking steps to send more land-based ballistic missile defence weapons there,” the Pentagon said in a statement.

“The shifts make good on a promise President Joe Biden made to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. In a call on August 1, Mr. Biden discussed new U.S. military deployments to protect against possible attacks from ballistic missiles and drones,” according to the White House. In April, U.S. forces intercepted dozens of missiles and drones fired by Iran against Israel and helped down nearly all of them.