The U.S. Department of Defense is putting additional troops on “prepare-to-deploy” status in response to the recent escalations by Iran and its proxy forces in the Middle East.
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Saturday outlined three major steps the U.S. military will take to strengthen its position in the region: redirecting naval assets, deploying missile defense systems, and issuing prepare-to-deploy orders.
“First, I redirected the movement of the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group to the Central Command area of responsibility. This carrier strike group is in addition to the USS Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group, which is currently operating in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea. It will further increase our force posture and strengthen our capabilities and ability to respond to a range of contingencies,” Austin said in a statement.
“I have also activated the deployment of a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery as well as additional Patriot battalions to locations throughout the region to increase force protection for U.S. forces.”
“Finally, I have placed an additional number of forces on prepare to deploy orders as part of prudent contingency planning, to increase their readiness and ability to quickly respond as required,” he added.
