Secretary Austin has been receiving updates from and providing guidance to his team throughout the weekend on the latest developments in the Middle East. He and DoD leaders remain focused on the protection of U.S. citizens and forces in the region, the defense of Israel, and the de-escalation of the situation through deterrence and diplomacy. Secretary Austin stressed that the United States is determined to prevent Iran and Iranian-backed partners and proxies from exploiting the situation or expanding the conflict. Secretary Austin made clear that 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 necessary measure to defend our people.

The United States retains the capability to deploy forces on short notice. The Department of Defense continues to maintain a significant amount of capability in the region and to dynamically adjust our force posture based on the evolving security situation. The Secretary has directed that the USS ABRAHAM LINCOLN Carrier Strike Group (CSG) remain in the USCENTCOM theater and that the USS Wasp Amphibious Ready Group / Marine Expeditionary Unit (ARG/MEU) will continue to operate in the Eastern Mediterranean. This afloat posture is complemented by DoD’s elevated fighter and attack squadron presence, including F-22, F-15E, F-16, and A-10 aircraft, and we will further reinforce our defensive air-support capabilities in the coming days.

The Secretary has also increased the readiness of additional U.S. forces to deploy, elevating our preparedness to respond to various contingencies. And DoD maintains robust and integrated air-defense capabilities across the Middle East, ensuring the protection of U.S. forces operating in the region.