The Pentagon announced on Friday that as the USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group prepares to leave the Middle East, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has ordered the deployment of more aircraft and warships to the region to maintain US military presence.
In a statement released by Pentagon press secretary Pat Ryder, Austin has directed the deployment of ballistic missile defense destroyers, a fighter squadron, a tanker, and several US Air Force B-52 long-range bombers to the Middle East.
Ryder stated, “As the USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group prepares to return, these forces will continue to arrive in the region in the coming months.”
“These actions demonstrate the flexibility of the US global defense posture and our ability to rapidly deploy forces worldwide to address evolving national security threats,” he added.
The Pentagon did not specify the exact number of US troops that will be stationed in the Middle East following these deployments. Currently, there are up to 43,000 US troops deployed in the region.
According to reports from the Associated Press, the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier and three destroyers in its strike group are set to depart the Middle East in mid-November and return to their homeport in San Diego.
While the USS Harry S. Truman carrier is expected to move to the Mediterranean, the departure of the USS Abraham Lincoln will leave a gap, temporarily leaving no US aircraft carrier in the Middle East.
As the US military adjusts its assets, conflicts between Israel and Hamas and Hezbollah show no signs of abating.
Last week, Israel also launched retaliatory strikes against Iran targeting military bases and missile factories. Prior to these strikes, Iran had launched around 180 missiles towards Israel.
Despite Washington’s calls for a ceasefire ahead of the US presidential election, there has been limited progress. On Thursday, US envoys Amos Hochstein and Brett McGurk held talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, but no significant breakthrough was achieved.
US officials have repeatedly stated their commitment to defending personnel and interests of both Israel and the US in the region. Last month, the Pentagon deployed about 100 US troops to Israel to operate the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system provided by the US.
The deployment of B-52 bombers this time is particularly noteworthy. This marks the second time within a month that the US has ordered B-52s to fly to the Middle East, seen as a warning to Iran and its proxies.
Ryder emphasized, “Secretary Austin has once again made it clear that if Iran, its partners, or its proxies target US personnel or interests in the region, the US will take all necessary measures to defend our people.”