The United States will strengthen its military presence in the Middle East, including through additional aircraft and the transfer of destroyers, US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin said.
“To maintain the presence of our aircraft carrier strike group in the Middle East, I have ordered the USS Abraham Lincoln to replace the USS Theodore Roosevelt later this month. I also ordered additional cruisers and destroyers capable of providing missile defence to the region. And I have ordered an additional squadron of fighter jets to the Middle East to strengthen our air support capability for defence,” Lloyd Austin told a news conference in Annapolis following the US-Australian two-plus-two talks.
He said the change in the balance of power complements the existing wide range of US assets in the region. He emphasised that Washington remains committed to rapid deployment to respond to evolving security threats to partners or interests of the United States.
“The Department of Defence continues to take steps to reduce the heat in the region and avoid escalation by Iran, its partners and forces under its control. We have adjusted the alignment of our forces to improve their security, strengthen <…> support for Israel’s defence, and remain ready to respond to a variety of contingencies,” the US defence secretary said.
Commenting on the strike on the Ain al-Asad airbase in western Iraq, used by international coalition troops, in which several US servicemen were wounded, Austin assured that the US “will not tolerate attacks on its military in the region.”
Recall, earlier Russian President Vladimir Putin said that the country has always been in favour of the creation of a sovereign state of Palestine. He noted that the United States ignored the mechanisms that could put an end to the Arab-Israeli conflict.