The United States is expanding its military presence in the Middle East as relations between Israel and Iran grow more strained. The Pentagon is deploying more fighter jets, such as F-16s, F-22s, and F-35s, while also prolonging the deployment of others to enhance its defensive position in the area, according to three US officials.
Two officials underscored that the action is defensive in nature, with the intent to counter the increasing threat from drone warfare and missile projectiles fired by Iran or its regional partners. The US Department of Defense has not released an official statement yet regarding the deployment.
This military deployment comes after a Reuters report last week of the prior relocation of a sizable fleet of tanker aircraft to Europe and the deployment of a US aircraft carrier to the Middle East. These deployments give President Donald Trump more options as the Middle East conflict intensifies.
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said that the military upgrades are meant to safeguard American forces deployed in the region from potential retaliatory attacks by Iran or its proxies. A fourth US defense official also signaled that the deployment of more US Navy warships with the capability to intercept ballistic missiles to the Eastern Mediterranean is being weighed.
Today, close to 40,000 American soldiers are deployed throughout the Middle East, augmented by sophisticated air defense systems, interceptors, and warships capable of detecting and destroying incoming threat.
The escalation in US military action comes after Israel’s largest air campaign ever against Iran, which was launched last Friday. Israel says it responded to intelligence that Iran was close to finalizing a nuclear weapon. Iran has repeatedly denied any wish to build nuclear weapons, saying its nuclear program is purely for peaceful intentions and is still within the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty framework.
