Key points
- US military aided Israel in intercepting Iranian missile attacks using air defence systems
- American forces in the Middle East were reinforced with additional ships, fighter jets
- US Navy assets, including aircraft carriers, are on standby for further deployment
ISLAMABAD: American air defence systems and a US Navy destroyer assisted Israel in intercepting incoming ballistic missiles on Friday, launched by Iran in retaliation for Israeli strikes targeting its nuclear facilities and senior military officials, according to US officials.
According to AP, the United States has deployed both Patriot and Terminal High Altitude Area Defence (THAAD) systems in the Middle East, capable of shooting down ballistic missiles. One official confirmed that a Navy destroyer positioned in the eastern Mediterranean also intercepted missiles en route to Israel.
The United States is also shifting military resources, including ships, in the Middle East in response to the strikes.
“Patrolling the skies”
The Navy directed the destroyer USS Thomas Hudner, which is capable of defending against ballistic missiles, to begin sailing from the western Mediterranean Sea towards the eastern Mediterranean, and has directed a second destroyer to begin moving forward so it can be available if requested by the White House, US officials said.
American fighter jets are also patrolling the skies in the Middle East to protect personnel and installations, and air bases in the region are taking additional security precautions, the officials said.
READ ALSO: US Aided Israel with Missile Defence Against Iranian Retaliatory Strikes: Officials
The officials spoke on the condition of anonymity to provide details not yet made public or to discuss ongoing operations.
President Donald Trump met with his National Security Council principals on Friday to discuss options.
The forces in the region have been taking precautionary measures for days, including having military dependants voluntarily depart regional bases, in anticipation of the strikes and to protect personnel in case of a large-scale response from Tehran.
About 40,000 troops
Typically, around 30,000 troops are based in the Middle East, and about 40,000 troops are in the region now, according to a US official. That number surged as high as 43,000 last October amid the ongoing tensions between Israel and Iran, as well as continuous attacks on commercial and military ships in the Red Sea by the Iranian-backed Houthis in Yemen.
The Navy has additional assets that it could surge to the Middle East if needed, particularly its aircraft carriers and the warships that sail with them. The USS Carl Vinson is in the Arabian Sea — the only aircraft carrier in the region.
The carrier USS Nimitz is in the Indo-Pacific and could be directed towards the Middle East if needed, and the USS George Washington has just left its port in Japan and could also be directed to the region if so ordered, one of the officials said, according to AP.
Then-President Joe Biden initially surged ships to protect Israel, a close US ally, following the 7 October 2023 attacks by Hamas that launched the war in Gaza. It was seen as a deterrent against Hezbollah and Iran at the time.
On 1 October 2024, US Navy destroyers fired about a dozen interceptors in defence of Israel as the country came under attack by more than 200 missiles fired by Iran.
“Unilateral action”
Secretary of State Marco Rubio released a statement soon after the Israeli strikes against Iran began, saying Israel had taken “unilateral action” and warning Iran to not retaliate against the US, the BBC had reported.
“We are not involved in strikes against Iran and our top priority is protecting American forces in the region,” Rubio said.
“Let me be clear: Iran should not target US interests or personnel.”
