CNN –
About 900 U.S. troops have been or will be deployed to the Middle East as tensions have risen in the region following a series of attacks on coalition bases that left nearly two dozen soldiers slightly injured.
“This includes forces on pre-deployment orders deployed from the continental United States,” said Pentagon spokesman Brigadier General. Gen. Pat Ryder told reporters Thursday. “Deployed and deployed units include a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense battery from Fort Bliss, Texas, Patriot batteries from Fort Sill, Oklahoma, Patriot and Avenger batteries from Fort Liberty, North Carolina, and associated air defense headquarters elements from Fort Bliss and Fort Cavazos. Texas.”
Ryder added that the deployed units would not go to Israel and were intended to “support regional deterrence efforts and further strengthen the protective capabilities of U.S. forces.”
The Pentagon had previously announced the deployment of the THAAD and Patriot batteries.
As the war between Israel and Hamas continues, the US is trying to send a strong signal to its opponents to prevent the conflict from spreading further in the region.
CNN has reported that the US has information that Iran-backed militia groups are planning increased attacks on US forces in the Middle East, as Iran seeks to capitalize on the backlash in the region against US support for Israel.
Ryder said Thursday that between Oct. 17 and Oct. 26, U.S. and coalition forces were attacked “at least 12 times in Iraq and four times in Syria by a mix of unilateral attack drones and missiles.”
A total of 21 US soldiers were slightly injured in attacks between October 17 and 18, CNN reported on Wednesday. Nineteen of them – 15 at al-Asad Air Base in Iraq and four at al-Tanf Garrison in Syria – were diagnosed with traumatic brain injury (TBI), Ryder said.
Everyone is now back on duty, he added, and there have been “no injuries or reported cases of traumatic brain injury since October 17th and 18th.”
An attack on Thursday, Ryder said, targeted the Erbil air base and was “unsuccessful,” with no casualties and “some minor damage to infrastructure.”
Thursday’s announcement came after the Pentagon last week ordered about 2,000 U.S. troops to prepare for deployment. Sabrina Singh, the Pentagon’s deputy press secretary, focused on providing “air defense, security, logistics, medical, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, etc.” transportation support.
This is in addition to US troops already stationed in Iraq and Syria (approximately 2,500 and 900, respectively) and Marine units announced to be deployed to the region. The USS Dwight D. Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group has been deployed to the Middle East, and the USS Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group is currently in the Eastern Mediterranean.
When asked Thursday to explain the delay in responding to attacks on U.S. forces, Ryder said the U.S. military “retains the inherent right to defend our forces and we will take all necessary measures to protect our forces.” and to protect our interests abroad.”
“As far as these groups are concerned, again we know that they are Iranian-backed militia groups, supported by Iran, and of course we hold Iran responsible for these groups,” he said.