US Military Deploys Additional Troops to Region Near Iran

US Deploys Military Assets to Middle East Amid Tensions with Iran

The US administration has increased its military presence in the Middle East, deploying a significant number of aircraft to the region in recent days. According to open-source intelligence analysts and military flight-tracking data, more than 120 aircraft have been deployed to the area within the past few days.

The USS Gerald R Ford, the world’s largest aircraft carrier, is reportedly joining the Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group in the Arabian Sea. Additionally, key force multipliers such as E-3 Sentry Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) aircraft have been deployed.

In a letter to the United Nations Security Council, Iran stated that it does not seek “tension or war” but will respond decisively and proportionately to any US aggression. The country also warned that the US would bear full responsibility for any unpredictable consequences.

The US has also deployed F-35 stealth strike fighters, F-22 air superiority jets, F-15s, and F-16s, as well as cargo aircraft and aerial refuelling tankers. This deployment is supported by flight-tracking data showing many departing bases in the US and Europe.

The recent surge in US airpower in the Middle East has led to a dispute with the UK over the use of its joint military base in Diego Garcia. The US has reportedly threatened to withdraw support for the UK’s decision to transfer sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, which was announced last year.

The USS Gerald R Ford is currently being redeployed from the Caribbean to the Middle East. The carrier and its accompanying aircraft are expected to play a significant role in any future military operations in the region.

Source: Al Jazeera