U.S. sends carrier strike group, missile defense system to Middle East

The Pentagon will send a carrier strike group and missile defense battery to the Middle East and put more troops on “prepare to deploy” orders, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said late Saturday, citing recent escalations by Iran and its proxy groups that are fueling fears of a wider war in the region.

Mr. Austin said the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group will head to the Persian Gulf. Just a few days ago, the Pentagon said the strike group would sail to the Mediterranean Sea off the coast of Israel in a show of solidarity with Jerusalem as it wages war against the terrorist group Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

The Eisenhower will be the second U.S. carrier strike group in the Middle East. The USS Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group is already in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. The addition of the Eisenhower, Mr. Austin said, will bolster American military capabilities in the theater.

“It will further increase our force posture and strengthen our capabilities and ability to respond to a range of contingencies,” he said in a statement.

The redeployment suggests that the Pentagon is taking seriously the possibility that Iran and Iran-backed militias in the region could become more aggressive in targeting U.S. assets in the Middle East or could turn their fire on Israel.

In addition to the Eisenhower strike group, the Pentagon will send a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense, or THAAD, battery to the region, along with Patriot missile defense battalions. Mr. Austin said he has put more American forces on prepare-to-deploy orders in addition to the 2,000 troops already given those orders last week.

“These steps will bolster regional deterrence efforts, increase force protection for U.S. forces in the region, and assist in the defense of Israel,” Mr. Austin said. “I will continue to assess our force posture requirements in the region and consider deploying additional capabilities as necessary.”

Mr. Austin’s statement did not specify how many additional troops have been placed on prepare-to-deploy orders.

The moves come as Israel escalates its war against Hamas in Gaza, a response to the Oct. 7 Hamas assault that killed more than 1,400 Israelis and saw more than 200 people taken hostage by the terrorist group. In the two weeks since the attack, Iranian officials have publicly celebrated the Hamas operation and urged the Arab world to unite against Israel.

Iranian proxy groups seem to be growing more aggressive. Several U.S. troops were reportedly wounded last week in a drone attack on American bases in Iraq, believed to have been launched by Iran-backed militias.

U.S. warships last week shot down several missiles and drones believed to have been fired by Houthi rebels in Yemen. The Houthis are supported by Iran. The missiles and drones likely were targeting Israel, U.S. officials said.

There are also fears that the Lebanon-based militant group Hezbollah also could join the fight against Israel. Like Hamas, Hezbollah is financially backed by Iran, but analysts say that Hezbollah has many more fighters in its ranks and is a much more capable fighting force.