U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on Friday mentioned rising tensions within the Middle East, the Pentagon mentioned.
Austin and Gallant exchanged views on the regional instability and the “growing risk of escalation” from Iran, Lebanese group Hezbollah, and Iran-backed teams throughout the Middle East, spokesman Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder mentioned in an announcement.
Austin knowledgeable Gallant that the U.S. “continues to monitor attack planning from Iran and its proxies and is well-postured across the region to defend Israel and protect U.S. personnel and facilities,” Ryder added.
The protection chiefs additionally mentioned progress towards securing a cease-fire and the discharge of all hostages, together with eight Americans, held captive by Hamas within the Gaza Strip.
The Pentagon introduced earlier this month that the U.S. will deploy further army belongings to the Middle East forward of a doable retaliation by Iran in opposition to Israel.
Austin ordered the USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group, outfitted with F-35C fighters, to speed up transit to the Central Command space of accountability, including to capabilities already offered by the USS Theodore Roosevelt Carrier Strike Group.
Additionally, he ordered the USS Georgia (SSGN 729) guided missile submarine to the Central Command area.
There are roughly 40,000 U.S. personnel within the U.S. Central Command space of accountability, Tom Crosson, a Pentagon spokesperson mentioned. “Routinely, there are approximately 34,000 in the region,” Crosson mentioned.
Tensions are working excessive within the Middle East following the July 31 assassination of Hamas’ political chief Ismail Haniyeh within the Iranian capital of Tehran and Israel’s assassination of senior Hezbollah commander Fuad Shukr in an airstrike on a southern suburb of Beirut on July 30.
Hamas and Iran have accused Israel of finishing up Haniyeh’s assassination, whereas Tel Aviv has not confirmed or denied accountability.
Iran vowed “harsh punishment” for Israel for Haniyeh’s killing on Iranian soil.
The escalation comes amid an ongoing Israeli offensive in opposition to the Gaza Strip which has killed greater than 40,000 Palestinians following an assault Oct. 7 by the Palestinian resistance group, Hamas, that killed 1,139 Israelis.
Source: www.anews.com.tr