On Saturday, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin announced the US was sending more air defense systems to the Middle East as US forces in the region are coming under attack due to President Biden’s backing of Israel’s onslaught on Gaza.
Austin blamed the escalations on Iran, although there’s no sign Iran plans to get directly involved in the fighting. “Following detailed discussions with President Biden on recent escalations by Iran and its proxy forces across the Middle East Region, today I directed a series of additional steps to further strengthen the Department of Defense posture in the region,” he said.
Austin said he had “activated the deployment of a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery as well as additional Patriot battalions to locations throughout the region to increase force protection for US forces.”
He also placed “an additional number of forces on prepare to deploy orders.” Earlier reports said the Pentagon ordered 2,000 troops to be prepared to deploy to the region to support Israel, although they are not expected to serve in combat roles.
Austin’s statement on Saturday came after US bases in Syria and Iraq came under attack, with only minor injuries reported. Reuters reported that the Ain al-Asad air base in western Iraq, which hosts US troops, came under a drone attack on Saturday and a rocket attack on Sunday.
Both Austin and Secretary of State Antony Blinken have said the US is ready to respond to further attacks on US forces. “We don’t want to see our forces or our personnel come under fire. But if that happens, we’re ready for it,” Blinken said.
The US has also intercepted missiles in the Red Sea that were fired from Yemen and likely targeted at Israel. According to Task and Purpose, the guided-missile destroyer USS Carney spent nine hours downing 15 drones and four cruise missiles fired from Yemen, a far larger engagement than the Pentagon initially reported.
The Pentagon said the missiles and drones fired from Yemen were launched by the Houthis. The US has not attributed blame for the attacks on US bases in Syria and Iraq, although some lesser-known Shia militias have taken credit.
The steps Austin announced on Saturday are in addition to other US deployments to the region to support Israel, which includes two aircraft carrier strike groups, two amphibious vessels carrying thousands of Marines, and additional fighter jets. The implication is that the US will intervene directly if Hezbollah opens a northern front for Israel. While Hezbollah has not launched a major cross-border attack, skirmishes between Israel and the Shia group on the Lebanon-Israel border continue to escalate.
Wash. is making sure the escalation risk rises. Everyone must know by now that Israel and Ukraine are more important than the welfare of the American people who are forced to pay for Wash.’s warmongering and atrocities abroad. No wars since the end of WWII had anything to do with American security, but had everything to do with MIC profits going back to Wash.
You nailed it Lilly, nailed it!
They are hoping for Iran to do something stupid so that they can finally get their regime change war. The only problem is that, unlike in Iraq, the U.S. will get it’s butt handed to them.
It will be a tragedy for both sides. Iran stays on its own side of the world, but Wash. is all over the world starting trouble for MIC profits and AIPAC and MIC campaign funding. Until lobbying is outlawed (not going to happen) the wars will continue until one finally comes to American soil. Protect yourself and your interests is the only thing we can do now. Protesting never has any effect once the conflict starts, and we’re never told what’s being planned anyway.
Both Israel and US are heading to the path of self destruction..,!
Netanyahu is leading Israel to h*ll.
And, taking America with it. But, it all comes down to policy in Wash. Israel won’t turn down any handout, and never has.
The tipoff will the the fleet leaving the Persian gulf.
A bunch of rockets hitting the deck and the bridge will render the two carriers useless. Americans will die. Bases in the ME will be hit. I think Iran has S300 missiles. Perhaps Russia has provided Iran with S400 missiles. Jets will be knocked out of the sky.
Lol. That’s basement statement.
Maybe Russia will allow (or give) Iran some nukes as a deterrent to Israeli/American attacks?
Pakistan has already made this offer to Turkey I believe.
The ‘mighty’ apartheid army needs US backup to face Hamas? Never thought that Hamas is that formidable.
Did any nation help the Germans by providing defensive weapons during the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising and subsequent crushing of it in 1943?
Wash. is always ready to do the Zionists dirty work, they have a good thing going, America sacrifices both blood and money to pamper Tel Aviv and the Israeli people who benefit, and those who make the sacrifices will receive NOTHING for it!
Look at that dumb headline. Sending more DEFENSES to allow one party to escalate. The act of sending air defenses is a prod for escalation.
Also, China sends warships to the Middle East but it’s ok, they can do whatever they want as long as we blame the US.
https://www.business-standard.com/amp/world-news/china-sends-six-warships-israeli-military-warns-of-wider-conflict-123102200852_1.html
.. as a deterrent in a freedom of navigation patrol.
Great. We need global free transit through international waters.
Glad to see China is evolving.
China has never hampered international shipping.
The difference here would be that the Chinese ships are not there at the request of one of the belligerents in a brewing regional war and that China doesn’t have a recent history of laying waste to multiple countries in said region. See the difference there Einstein?
Oh kind of like Russia in Syria and the US in Israel.
I see, Einstein.
You are drunk again, aren’t you. The U.S. is the one who is there at the request of one of the belligerents in a brewing regional war that has a history of destroying multiple countries in the Middle East. Russia, well they are kind of similar, but as far as I am aware don’t have any significant naval assets in the Med or Persian Gulf. So no nothing like the Chinese fleet.
The Russians are in Syria because the sovereign government of Syria invited them to oust ISIS which now has happened , the US claims that it is there for the same reason but that isn’t the truth, it’s to remove Assad from power so the US can get all of Syria’s OIL. The Russians now remain to protect Assad from the US invaders.
This is the TRUTH.
Chinese know the intentions of Wash., which is WWIII.
After being told repeatedly by US, China finally agreed that there is Freedom of Navigation.
So does that mean China will allow international transit?
That’s awesome.
Great. Im in.
China hasn’t ever hampered international shipping. We’re the ones who want to enforce blockades if the time comes.
Please note; neither the Syria or Iraq want US bases in their countries. We are not guests, we are invaders.