U.S. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth announced on Monday that the United States is deploying additional defensive capabilities to the Middle East, as the escalating Israel-Iran conflict intensifies regional instability.
Hegseth, in a statement posted on social media platform X, stated that the move is aimed at strengthening the protection of American forces in the face of rising security threats.
“Protecting U.S. forces is our top priority, and these deployments are intended to enhance our defensive posture in the region,” Hegseth stated.
Although he did not disclose the specific military assets involved, earlier reports indicated that the Pentagon is sending a significant number of aerial refuelling tankers and has ordered the repositioning of a U.S. aircraft carrier to the region.
The deployment comes as fears grow over the broader implications of the ongoing conflict between Israel and Iran, which has already resulted in hundreds of casualties and raised the risk of a wider Middle East war.
