US deploying more defensive capabilities to Middle East - Pentagon chief
The Pentagon has directed the deployment of major new military assets to the Middle East to bolster U.S. force protection and deter Iran as the full-scale war between Iran and Israel enters its fourth day, U.S. defense officials confirmed on Monday.
- World
- Reuters
- Published Date: 12:59 | 17 June 2025
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Monday he had ordered the deployment of additional defensive capabilities to the Middle East, as the escalating conflict between Israel and Iran drives regional tensions higher.
Hegseth did not disclose what military capabilities he sent to the region. But Reuters was the first to report earlier on Monday a deployment of a large number of U.S. military refueling aircraft and the movement of an aircraft carrier to the Middle East.
"Protecting U.S. forces is our top priority and these deployments are intended to enhance our defensive posture in the region," Hegseth said in a post on social media platform X.
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