ANKARA

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has announced a plan to bolster the presence of US forces in the Middle East amid recent escalations in the region.

"Following detailed discussions with President (Joe) Biden on recent escalations by Iran and its proxy forces across the Middle East Region, today I directed a series of additional steps to further strengthen the Department of Defense posture in the region," Austin said in a statement on Saturday.

“These steps will bolster regional deterrence efforts, increase force protection for US forces in the region, and assist in the defense of Israel," he said.

“First, I redirected the movement of the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group to the Central Command area of responsibility. This carrier strike group is in addition to the USS Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group, which is currently operating in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea. It will further increase our force posture and strengthen our capabilities and ability to respond to a range of contingencies,” he said.

Additionally, the deployment of a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery and the dispatch of additional Patriot battalions to various locations within the region are set to increase force protection for US forces, he added.


"Finally, I have placed an additional number of forces on prepare to deploy orders as part of prudent contingency planning, to increase their readiness and ability to quickly respond as required," the secretary said.

On Thursday, the Pentagon said that a US Navy warship intercepted cruise missiles and drones launched by Yemen's Houthi rebels that were "potentially" targeting Israel.

Drone attacks on US bases

On Wednesday, US forces stationed at the at-Tanf garrison in southeastern Syria came under attack from two drones, Ryder said. One of the drones was shot down, while the other struck the facility causing "minor injuries to coalition forces," he said.

Separately, in Iraq, the Pentagon said an early warning system detected a potential threat approaching the al-Asad Airbase, forcing personnel to take shelter "as a protective measure." Ryder said no attack materialized, but one US civilian contractor died after suffering cardiac arrest while taking shelter.

Both of those incidents happened on Wednesday.

Two drones targeted the al-Asad Airbase on Tuesday, and another was shot down as it targeted the Bashir Airbase in northern Iraq, Ryder said.

"While I'm not going to forecast any potential response to these attacks, I will say that we will take all necessary actions to defend US and coalition forces against any threat. Any response, should one occur, will come at a time in a manner of our choosing," he said.

"We are certainly taking appropriate force protection measures to ensure the safety of our troops. Again, I'm not going to get into specifics. Clearly, this is an uptick in terms of the types of drone activity we've seen in Iraq and Syria," he added.