The Pentagon announced that the US would send the THAAD air defense system and additional battalions of the Patriot system to the Middle East.
– After in-depth discussions with President Biden on the recent escalating actions of Iran and its proxy forces throughout the Middle East region, I today ordered a series of additional measures to strengthen our defense position in the region, said the US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin. at a press conference Saturday.
Attack on the American base
The escalation of the conflict in the Middle East following the Palestinian Hamas attack on Israeli territory activated the activities of other local organizations hostile to Israel and the United States. On Wednesday and Thursday, one of the local Islamist organizations attacked a US base near Baghdad in Iraq with drones. The attack caused no significant damage – one drone was destroyed and another was damaged – but several US soldiers suffered minor injuries. Another drone was sent to a US base in northern Iraq but caused no losses.
Israeli air forces bombed the Gaza Strip for two weeks. The victims of air strikes are mainly civilians. The Palestinians were ordered by Israel to leave the northern part of the Strip. The Israeli side has amassed significant forces on the Gaza border, including tanks and special forces. Tel Aviv announced the destruction of Hamas. According to Israeli and American intelligence services, Hamas is holding about 200 hostages.
At the same time, a firefight takes place on the Lebanese-Israeli border, where Hezbollah forces are stationed. On Friday, the Israeli Ministry of Defense issued an evacuation order for the town of Kiryat Shmona, located one kilometer from the Lebanese border. It is in this area that fire is exchanged between Israeli forces and Hezbollah.
THAAD and Patriot for the Middle East
Washington expressed its full support for Israel. A few days ago, Joe Biden met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Tel Aviv. The US president announced an “unprecedented aid package”, but at the same time warned Israel against “an excessive and hasty response to the Hamas attacks”. Arab countries, including US allies such as Jordan and Saudi Arabia, categorically condemn Israel’s possible invasion of the Gaza Strip and the current bombing of civilians.
Washington decided to strengthen its forces in the Middle East. US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin stated that THAAD air defense systems, equipped with powerful radars that can penetrate deep into areas of enemy airspace, will be deployed there in the near future. The Pentagon also announced the shipment of additional battalions of the Patriot air defense system to the Middle East.
Source: Do Rzeczy
Roy Brown is a renowned economist and author at The Nation View. He has a deep understanding of the global economy and its intricacies. He writes about a wide range of economic topics, including monetary policy, fiscal policy, international trade, and labor markets.
