US deploys additional force to protect Israel from Iran retaliation

The US is sending additional warships and fighter jets to the Middle East  
as Washington seeks to boost its defences ahead of a possible Iranian  
attack against Israel by Iran and its proxy forces, the Pentagon said  
Friday.

The Pentagon detailed the reinforced presence after US President Joe Biden  
informed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu about Washington’s  
plans to help protect Israel in the event of an attack. The Biden  
administration also continued to urge a de-escalation of regional tensions  
and a ceasefire in Gaza.

https://www.ft.com/content/d6fd43b9-5e88-4de9-b000-16dcd2fbcf59

Lloyd Austin, US defence secretary, “has ordered adjustments to US  
military posture designed to improve US force protection, to increase  
support for the defence of Israel, and to ensure the United States is  
prepared to respond to various contingencies”, Pentagon spokeswoman  
Sabrina Singh said in a statement.

Austin directed additional warships that can shoot down ballistic missiles  
and fighter jets to the region as well as to Europe, she said.

The US already has other assets in the region, such as the USS Wasp  
amphibious assault ship that can help with quick responses and possible  
evacuations.

The stepped-up US posture comes amid growing concerns that Iran and other  
allied militant groups are set to retaliate for the killings this week of  
Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran and Fuad Shukr, a senior  
military commander from Lebanon-based Hizbollah.

The White House said Biden and Netanyahu spoke about “efforts to support  
Israel’s defence against threats, including against ballistic missiles and  
drones,” which also included “new defensive US military deployments”.

Austin also spoke Friday with Israeli defence minister Yoav Gallant about  
the threats from Iran and the additional steps the US was taking to  
support Israel. “Secretary Austin highlighted that further escalation is  
not inevitable,” Singh said.

### - urgent chatter currently flyin' about re it's all just about to  
kick-off depending on what iran actually does next, possibly on sunday,  
any stronger response than last time (300 rockets) potentially spelling an  
immediate retaliation en-mass by western forces in an effort to take iran  
down permanently, and thus maybe others too while they're at it!

it's all currently up in the air and could go either way, but there's one  
thing for sure: if it all goes 'that' way it wont be the end of it, it'll  
only be the beginning of it!

and we'll see some fireworks then huh...