Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin poses for photos at the U.S. Naval Academy on August 6 in Annapolis, Md.
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The United States wants to prevent Iran and its allies from spreading conflict in the Middle East after the killing of the leader of Hezbollah in Lebanon, the Pentagon said on Sunday.
“Secretary of State Austin emphasized that the United States is determined to prevent Iran and its partners and Iran-backed proxies from exploiting the situation or expanding the conflict,” Pentagon Press Secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said in a statement.
“Secretary Austin has made clear that if Iran, its partners or its proxies take advantage of this moment to target US personnel or interests in the region, the United States will take every measure necessary to protect our people.”
The statement was made amid fears the conflict could spread across the Middle East and spark a wider war later. Hassan Nasrallah was killed in an Israeli air strike in Lebanon last week. Israeli army has indicated that it is preparing to invade southern Lebanon and said Sunday it had launched additional attacks on targets in Lebanon.
The Department of Defense also said it “continues to maintain significant capabilities in the region and flexibly adjust its force posture based on the evolving security situation.”
“The Secretary has also increased the deployment readiness of additional U.S. forces, enhancing our readiness to respond to a variety of contingencies,” Ryder said in the statement. ”. “And DoD maintains robust and integrated air defense capabilities across the Middle East, ensuring the protection of U.S. forces operating in the region.”
White House officials said Friday afternoon that President Biden has directed the Pentagon to “assess and adjust the posture of US forces in the region as necessary to strengthen deterrence and ensure force protection.” and fully support US objectives.”
Iran provides weapons and other support to Hezbollah, Hamas in Gaza and the Houthis in Yemen, while the United States is a strong ally of Israel and has provided it with billions of dollars in military aid each year.
