U.S. Postured to Defend Israel if Needed, Protect U.S. Forces, Assets

U.S. forces continue to stand ready in the Middle East, should Iran or its proxies attempt to attack Israel, Pentagon Press Secretary Air Force Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said today.

U.S. Central Command continues to monitor the situation in the Middle East and U.S. naval and air forces are "postured to support the defense of Israel and protect U.S. troops and assets in the region," Ryder said.

Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III has made two calls this week to Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant to reiterate America's "ironclad" resolve to defend the country, the general said.

There are now two U.S. carrier strike groups in the region centered around the USS Theodore Roosevelt and the USS Abraham Lincoln. There is also a squadron of F-22 Raptors deployed and the missile submarine USS Georgia is also sailing to the region.

These forces will remain in the region as long as they are needed. "We remain intently focused on de-escalating tensions in the Middle East, while also remaining focused on securing a cease-fire as part of a hostage deal to bring all of the hostages home and to end the war in Gaza," Ryder said.

In the Red Sea the Greek-flagged oil tanker MV Delta Sounion carrying a million barrels of crude oil was attacked by Iranian-backed Houthi terrorists. The ship was sailing from Iraq to Greece with a crew of two Russian and 23 Filipino sailors when it was attacked and caught fire. The crew has evacuated, with the assistance of a partner nation vessel.

"The MV Delta Sounion now sits immobilized in the Red Sea, where it is currently on fire and appears to be leaking oil, presenting both a navigational hazard and a potential environmental catastrophe," the general said. "The Houthis have claimed that they are conducting these attacks in support of the Palestinian people. Their actions prove to the contrary. In fact, these are simply reckless acts of terrorism which continue to destabilize global and regional commerce, put the lives of innocent civilian mariners at risk and imperil the vibrant maritime ecosystem in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden - their own backyard."

Centcom is working with allies and partners to determine how best to assist the vessel and mitigate the potential environmental impact, he said.

"We are aware of a third party that attempted to send two tugs to the vessel to help salvage [it], but they were warned away by the Houthis and threatened with being attacked, which again demonstrates [the Houthi's] blatant disregard for not only human life, but also for the potential environmental catastrophe that this presents," he said.

Ryder said the deployment of U.S. military capabilities to the region has sent a clear message of deterrence with the idea of preventing a wider regional conflict. "Right now, we still assess that the conflict between Israel and Hamas is contained to Gaza," he said. "You have seen the cross-border strikes between Israel and Lebanese Hezbollah since Oct. 8. What you saw over the weekend, of course, was [on] a much larger scale than what we've seen previously, but it is, in our view, not a wider regional conflict at this stage, and so we're going to continue to stay very focused on de-escalation of tensions in the region."