United States concerned about potential escalation in the Middle East
U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin (photo: Getty Images)
The United States is concerned that the hostilities between Israel and HAMAS may escalate into a broader conflict throughout the Middle East, posing a threat to American Armed Forces, states the U.S. Secretary of Defense, Lloyd Austin.
"We're concerned about potential escalation. In fact, what we're seeing is the prospect of a significant escalation of attacks on our troops and our people throughout the region. And because of that, we're going to do what's necessary to make sure that our troops are in the right position, they're protected and that we have the ability to respond," he stated.
Austin's comments come in the backdrop of attacks by Iranian-backed militias on U.S. military bases in Iraq and Syria, the recent interception of missiles launched from Yemen, and an intensification of hostilities on the border between Israel and Lebanon - all of this occurring as Israel continues its military operations against HAMAS in Gaza in retaliation for HAMAS attacks.
The United States has dispatched the strike group of the U.S. Navy's USS Dwight D. Eisenhower to join the aircraft carrier strike group USS Gerald R. Ford in the eastern part of the Mediterranean Sea and is deploying the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense battery in addition to Patriot battalions.
War in Israel
On October 7, HAMAS militants from the Gaza Strip launched attacks on the southern and central regions of Israel, unleashing a barrage of thousands of rockets and projectiles. According to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), more than 550 rockets fired by HAMAS militants since October 7 have landed in the Gaza Strip territory, resulting in casualties among Palestinians.
