About a dozen F/A-18 fighter jets from the USS Theodore Roosevelt aircraft carrier have been deployed to a military base in the Middle East.
This move is part of the Pentagon’s efforts to bolster Israel’s defense against potential attacks from Iran and its proxies and to ensure the safety of U.S. troops, according to a U.S. official.
The F/A-18s, along with an E-2D Hawkeye surveillance aircraft, departed from the carrier in the Gulf of Oman and arrived at an undisclosed base on Monday, the official reported.
U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin ordered this increased military presence in the region amidst concerns over rising violence in the Middle East.
This follows the recent deaths of a senior Hezbollah commander in Lebanon and Hamas’ top political leader in Iran, in suspected Israeli strikes. Both Hezbollah and Hamas are supported by Iran.
The land-based deployment of the Navy jets is anticipated to be temporary, as a squadron of Air Force F-22 fighter jets is currently en route to the same base from their home station in Alaska.
Approximately a dozen F-22s are expected to arrive in the Middle East in the coming days, the official stated, speaking on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of troop movements.
The duration of the aircrafts’ stay at the base remains uncertain and may depend on developments in the coming days.
These troop movements coincide with the release of additional details by U.S. officials regarding a rocket attack on a military base in Iraq on Tuesday, which injured American personnel.
The officials disclosed that five U.S. service members and two contractors were wounded when two rockets struck the base.
According to the officials, five of the injured are receiving treatment at the al-Asad airbase, while two were evacuated. All seven individuals are in stable condition, though no details were provided about those evacuated.
This rocket attack marks the latest incident in an increasing number of strikes on U.S. forces by Iranian-backed militias.
The attack is not believed to be linked to the recent killings of the Hezbollah and Hamas leaders, but it occurs amid heightened tensions across the Middle East.
The officials, who spoke anonymously to discuss military operations, noted that in recent weeks, Iranian-backed Iraqi militias have resumed attacks on bases housing U.S. forces in Iraq and Syria.
This follows a period of relative calm after a January strike on a base in Jordan that killed three American soldiers and led to a series of retaliatory U.S. strikes.
Between October and January, a group identifying itself as the Islamic Resistance in Iraq frequently claimed responsibility for attacks.
These attacks were purportedly in retaliation for U.S. support of Israel in its conflict with Hamas in Gaza and aimed at expelling U.S. troops from the region.
