US increases presence in Middle East to curb Iran’s participation in Gaza conflict
The Dwight D. Eisenhower will arrive soon, according to the New York Times. According to the authorities, the purpose of increasing presence in the region is to prevent Iran, Syria, or any Iran-backed proxy organizations, like Hezbollah, from taking part in the Israel-Hamas battle in 2023.
As world concerns about a presence larger regional battle rise, the United States is increasing its firepower in the Middle East to halt the fight between Israel and the Palestinian terrorist organization Hamas and dissuade Iran from joining it.
The world’s largest and newest aircraft carrier of the United States is already in the eastern Mediterranean, and a second one is scheduled to join it within the next ten days.
Although the White House claims there are “no plans or intentions” for their use, this indicates that if necessary, U.S. military forces would be available to offer air assistance to safeguard the country’s national security interests. The United States also has a number of bases in the Middle East that are home to soldiers, fighter jets, and vessels.
“We are making every effort to prevent this from escalating into a regional confrontation. Under the condition of anonymity, a U.S. official predicted that if that occurred, it would significantly divert American resources. “I don’t want to speculate on what assistance can be offered if there is a wider conflict, those decisions haven’t been made yet.”
After many days of Middle East shuttle diplomacy, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken sent a direct message to Iran, an enemy of the United States, saying: “When it comes to Israel security, we have Israel’s back.”
According to him, the deployment of two aircraft carrier strike groups was done “not to provoke anyone, but just to send a very clear message of deterrence that no one should do anything that widens this conflict in any way, or that furthers aggression against Israel from any other direction.”
Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian warned on Sunday that “the hands of all parties in the region are on the trigger,” and Iran’s mission to the UN in New York said its armed forces would not engage militarily if Israel did not attack it, its interests, or its citizens.
Since its fighters attacked Israeli cities eight days ago, murdering 1,300 people and taking prisoners in the bloodiest attack on civilians in Israeli history, Israel has pledged to completely destroy Iran-backed Hamas, which rules the Gaza Strip.
FEAR OF HEZBOLLAH
The goal of international diplomacy has been to stop the conflict from spreading, especially into Lebanon.
The Israeli military has been intensively bombing Gaza for the past week and preparing for a ground invasion, but it has also engaged in the bloodiest clashes with Iran-backed, heavily armed Hezbollah since their year-long war in 2006 on the Lebanese border.
John Kirby, a spokesman for the White House on national security, responded, “No plans or intentions at this time,” when asked whether the United States might send air support in northern Israel.
“That said, we take our national security interests seriously and we have ample military force in the region to protect and defend those interests as needed,” said Kirby.
President of the United States Joe Biden, a Democrat, would make the final decision over the start of any military operation in the Middle East. Republicans have previously shown support for such a measure.
Senator Lindsey Graham, a significant Republican voice on national security issues, told Reuters on Sunday that if “a second front is opened in the north” of Israel, he would ask Congress to approve a U.S. strike on Iran’s oil industry.
“If there’s an effort by Hezbolllah to unleash a massive attack on Israel, the Iranians should pay a heavy price for that,” he stated. “Any escalation by Iran – triggering Hezbollah, killing the hostages – should put them in the crosshairs.”
According to U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, there are no signs that Hezbollah terrorists in Lebanon are gathering to potentially assault Israel and escalate the conflict.
“We’ve not seen any massing of forces along the border,” Austin stated. “The Israelis are paying attention to this. We’re keeping an eye out for anything more that can broaden the problem here, but hopefully we won’t find anything. Speaking under the condition of anonymity, two U.S. officials claimed that the presence of military ships in the area was not part of any predetermined plan for the country to become involved, but rather as a show of force and to provide Vice President Biden choices should the need arise.
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