Pentagon announces new deployment to the Middle East in warning to Iran

The Pentagon has ordered additional US forces to the Middle East, including ballistic missile defence destroyers, fighter squadrons, tanker aircraft, and B-52 long-range bombers, as tensions in the region remain high. 

According to Pentagon Press Secretary Major General Pat Ryder, these forces "will begin to arrive in coming months as the USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group prepares to depart".

The deployments add to recent measures, such as the installation of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) missile system in Israel and the continued presence of an Amphibious Ready Group Marine Expeditionary Unit (ARG/MEU) in the Eastern Mediterranean.

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US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin has warned that any aggression from Iran or its proxies will be met with decisive action to safeguard American personnel and assets, saying "every measure necessary to defend our people", underscoring a firm stance as US forces increase their presence in the region.