US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has ordered the deployment of additional military assets—including B-52 bombers, fighter jets, tanker aircraft, and Navy destroyers—to the Middle East as the USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group prepares to depart the region. The Pentagon announced Friday that these forces would begin arriving in the coming months to maintain a robust US presence during a critical period of heightened tensions.
“Should Iran, its partners, or its proxies use this moment to target American personnel or interests in the region, the United States will take every measure necessary to defend our people,” Pentagon spokesperson Air Force Major General Patrick Ryder said in a statement.
The withdrawal of the Abraham Lincoln will create a temporary absence of an aircraft carrier in the Middle East until another carrier is cycled into the region. To address this gap, additional Navy destroyers equipped with ballistic missile defense capabilities are being deployed. These ships may come from either the Indo-Pacific region or Europe, according to US officials.
The US has had as many as two aircraft carriers in the Middle East over the past year, responding to escalating tensions since the start of the Israel-Hamas war in October 2023. The current adjustments in US military posture follow recent exchanges of fire between Israel and Iran, as well as Israel’s ongoing conflicts with Iran-backed Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon. Israel has also conducted strikes in Yemen after attacks from Iran-aligned Houthi fighters.
The United States has pledged to defend Israel and protect American forces in the Middle East, who have faced attacks from Iran-backed groups in Syria, Iraq, Jordan, and off the coast of Yemen. The deployment of B-52 Stratofortress bombers serves as a pointed warning to Iran. This marks the second time this month that strategic US bombers are being used to strengthen defenses in the region.
Officials have not disclosed the specific number of aircraft and ships involved in the deployment. While the departure of the aircraft carrier—carrying up to 5,000 sailors—may reduce the total number of US troops in the area, the addition of bomber aircraft and other assets enhances US combat capabilities.