US Sends Additional Fighter Jets To Middle East Anticipating Counterattacks On Israel
JAKARTA - The United States (US) sent more fighter jets and warships to the Middle East before the possibility of Iran's retaliation against Israel.
As reported by ABC News, the Pentagon will send an additional combat squadron and more warships to the Middle East to help defend Israel if Iran reacts militarily to the killing of Tehran's main Hamas political leader.
The United States will also maintain the presence of carriers in the Middle East when Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin orders USS Abraham Lincoln to replace USS Theodore Roosevelt, who is stationed in the short term in the Middle East.
The deployment follows President Joe Biden's commitment to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday about a new US defensive military deployment to the region.
SEE ALSO:
Austin ordered adjustments to the US military posture designed to increase the protection of US troops, to increase support for Israel's defense.
"The US is said to be ready to respond to various possibilities," the Pentagon said in a statement Friday, August 3.
Austin also ordered the deployment of additional combat squadrons to the Middle East to strengthen our air defense support capabilities, the statement said.
In addition, Secretary Austin requested additional cruisers and ballistic missile defense-capable destroyers to US European Command and US Central Command.