- The assassination of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah by Israel has put the Middle East even more at risk.
- Amid heightened tensions, the US has adjusted its force posture in the region.
- A strong force of US warships and fighter jets is already on station, with more to come.
The US military has a significant force of warships and fighter jets, among other assets, stationed throughout the Middle East and is moving even more firepower into the region as it prepares for an escalation of the conflict.
The Middle East, already in turmoil after nearly a year of incessant fighting, has been further shaken by attacks on Hezbollah via communications equipment and the assassination by Israel of Hassan Nasrallah, the longtime leader of the Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group. in a mass attack. airstrike in the Lebanese capital of Beirut on Friday.
Nasrallah’s killing marked a major escalation in the year-long conflict between Israel and the group and came amid increased Israeli military pressure on Hezbollah, raising concerns that the two bitter enemies could be heading for an all-out war that could draw in U.S. forces and possibly even Iran.
On Tuesday, just hours after the start of Israeli ground operations in Lebanon, a senior White House official said the US has indications that Iran is preparing to “launch a ballistic missile attack against Israel”.
The United States has publicly said it stands ready to defend Israel and defend its forces in the Middle East against any attack by Iran or its regional proxies.
US warships and warplanes defended Israel from a massive Iranian attack in April. The US now has more assets positioned in the region than it did then.
An F/A-18F Super Hornet takes off from the flight deck of the USS Abraham Lincoln in August. US Navy
Amid the recent increase in the intensity of the fighting, the US was already preparing for further violence. In a statement on Nasrallah’s death, President Joe Biden said Saturday that he had ordered Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin the day before to “further enhance the defense posture of US military forces in the Middle East region to deter aggression and to reduce the risk of a wider regional war”.
Pentagon press secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder later said on Sunday that the US “retains the ability to deploy forces on short notice.” He added that the military maintained a “significant” presence in the region and could adjust its force posture “based on the evolving security situation.”
As part of those efforts, Ryder said Austin directed the Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group to remain in the Middle East region, where it has been operating for several weeks. The strike group consists of the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln and several destroyers.
Austin also ordered the Wasp Amphibious Ready Group to remain in the Eastern Mediterranean, where it has been for several months.
A U.S. Navy officer standing on the bridge of the guided-missile destroyer USS Spruance while sailing behind the USS Abraham Lincoln in late August. US Navy
This assortment includes the multipurpose amphibious assault ship USS Wasp and its 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit, which can be deployed to evacuate Americans. In addition, the group has a dock landing ship and an amphibious-transport-dock ship.
Beyond the carrier strike group and the amphibious ready group, the US Navy also has destroyers operating in the Middle East and Eastern Mediterranean.
The U.S. warships are complemented by land-based aircraft including the F-22, F-15, F-16 and A-10 that provide fifth-generation and fourth-generation combat capabilities as well as proven ground attack options. Ryder said the US would “further strengthen our defensive air support capabilities in the coming days”.
“The secretary has also increased the readiness of additional US forces to deploy, increasing our readiness to respond to various situations,” Ryder said.
The landing ship USS Oak Hill in Cyprus in September. US Navy photo
The Pentagon revealed on Monday that it was sending more forces, including fighter squadrons, to the region.
US Central Command said on Tuesday that three additional aircraft squadrons – consisting of F-15s, F-16s and A-10s – are arriving in the region. A squadron had already arrived, she said.
The changes in the position of US forces in the region followed a massive increase in Israeli military pressure on Hezbollah, which began earlier this month after a sophisticated pager attack that Israel is suspected of carrying out. Since then, it has launched several rounds of devastating airstrikes targeting militant assets. Dozens of civilians have also been killed and injured.
The Israeli strikes have dealt a heavy blow to Hezbollah, including eliminating its leadership, but the heavily armed militant group has suggested it is still ready for war.
The Israeli military said early Tuesday it had launched a “limited” ground offensive against Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon, marking Israel’s first such operation since 2006 and signaling another major escalation in the conflict.
Israeli soldiers and armored vehicles in northern Israel in September. REUTERS/Ayal Margolin
“The elimination of Nasrallah is a very important step, but it is not the last,” Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant told troops near the northern border with Lebanon on Monday.
“Our goal is to provide [safe] the return of the northern communities of Israel to their homes. We are prepared to make any effort necessary to accomplish this mission,” Gallant said. “We will use all means that may be required — your forces, other forces, by air, by sea and on land.”