Pentagon Deputy Press Secretary Sabrina Singh said in the statement that Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin “has ordered adjustments to US military posture designed to improve US force protection, to increase support for the defense of Israel, and to ensure the United States is prepared to respond to various contingencies.”
“To maintain a carrier strike group presence in the Middle East, the Secretary has ordered the USS ABRAHAM LINCOLN Carrier Strike Group to replace the USS THEODORE ROOSEVELT Carrier Strike Group, currently on deployment in the Central Command area of responsibility,” the statement added.
Additionally, it said, “Secretary Austin has ordered additional ballistic missile defense-capable cruisers and destroyers to the US European Command and U.S. Central Command regions. The Department is also taking steps to increase our readiness to deploy additional land-based ballistic missile defense.”
Secretary Austin has also ordered the deployment of an additional fighter squadron to the Middle East, reinforcing our defensive air support capability.
The statement came after Singh had told reporters that Austin has informed Israel about current and future changes to US forces in the Middle East, amid threats from Iran and Hamas and Hezbollah.
The comments followed the conversation between Austin and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.
The changes come as the United States is bracing for Iran to make good on its threats to respond to the killing of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran, which has been blamed on Israel, though Israeli officials have not commented on Hamas’ allegations.
"(Austin) informed the minister of additional measures to include ongoing and future defensive force posture changes that the department will take to support the defense of Israel," Pentagon spokesperson Sabrina Singh told reporters after the call between Austin and Gallant.
"(Austin) committed to minister Gallant and the President (Joe Biden) committed to (Prime Minister Benjamin) Netanyahu that we will be bolstering our force protection in the region," she added, according to Reuters.
Singh said the United States did not want to see a wider regional conflict and did not believe an escalation was inevitable.
US officials told CNN on Thursday that the US is expecting that an Iranian attack in retaliation for the elimination of Hamas political bureau chief Ismail Haniyeh may be similar to the barrage of ballistic missiles and drones launched against Israel on April 13.
The officials said that this time the attack could be larger and more complicated than before, including the possibility of a coordinated attack with Iranian proxies from multiple directions.
The report also said that the US also estimates that this time there is a greater concern that US military bases in the area will be among the targets of the attack.
CNN further reported that President Joe Biden is weighing more US defenses in the Middle East as the US prepares for the Iranian retaliation against Israel. Israel National News - Arutz Sheva
