In an attempt to rotate its assets without reducing operational capabilities, the United States will deploy B-52 bombers, fighter jets, refueling aircraft and Navy destroyers to the Middle East. The readjustment of military assets has been called for with the Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group preparing to leave the West Asian region.
The Pentagon said in a statement that deployments would take place in the coming months and demonstrated the flexibility of the U.S. military movements around the world.
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“Should Iran, its partners, or its proxies use this moment to target American personnel or interests in the region, the United States will take every measure necessary to defend our people,” Pentagon spokesperson Air Force Major General Patrick Ryder said in a statement.
The United States has had as many as two aircraft carriers in the Middle East during the past year of soaring tensions since the start of the Israel-Hamas war in Oct. 2023.
The Lincoln’s withdrawal will create an aircraft carrier gap until another is cycled into the Middle East.
The latest adjustment in U.S. forces in the region follows direct exchanges of fire in October between Israel and Iran. Israel is also fighting Iran-backed Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon, and has carried out strikes in Yemen after coming under attack from Iran-aligned Houthi fighters.
The United States has pledged to help defend Israel against attack and to safeguard U.S. forces in the West Asia, who have been attacked by Iran-backed groups in Syria, Iraq, Jordan and off the coast of Yemen.
THE US deployments, globally, are indeed quite stretched at this point in time. Should another front, like the South China Sea, open up, it would be difficult for the US to maintain adequate resources, by itself.
Team BharatShakti
(With Inputs from Reuters)
