US military amps Middle East surveillance amid fear of escalation
4 Min Read
Anonymous sources told Reuters that steps include expanding US military patrols, restricting access to base installations, and enhancing information collection, particularly through drone and other surveillance activities.
-
US troops patrol in their military vehicles near the Syrian border on 17 December 2020 (AFP)
According to Reuters, the US military is making extra efforts to secure its troops in the Middle East as fears grow about attacks from so-called "Iran-backed groups" and it is considering evacuations of military families if necessary.
Anonymous sources detailed to Reuters how the steps include expanding US military patrols, restricting access to base installations, and enhancing information collection, particularly through drone and other surveillance activities.
According to authorities, the US military is also beefing up monitoring from guard towers on US military locations, improving security at base entry points, and expanding operations to prevent any incoming drones, rockets, and missiles.
Read more: US ramping up presence in Middle East to assist 'Israel': Pentagon
The new set of force protection measures has not before been revealed.
U.S. Army General Michael "Erik" Kurilla, head of U.S. Central Command, told Reuters in a statement that "continuous review of our force protection measures is critical," with the number of attacks occurring on US positions in the region.
An anonymous US military official did not provide insight into what may be cause for an evacuation of families of deployed personnel but explained that the threat is "rising to a level that threatens the dependents" of members.
A senior defense official told Pentagon reporters Monday that a "significant escalation against US forces and personnel in the near term," is evident to officials.
White House spokesperson John Kirby claimed that Iran was facilitating the attacks against the US positions, and "spurring on others who may want to exploit the conflict for their own good for Iran."
Pentagon concerned about escalation 'in the days ahead' in Middle East
An escalation in CENTCOM, which includes the Middle East, might happen in the "days ahead", the United States Department of Defense spokesperson, Air Force Brigadier General Patrick Ryder, told reporters on Monday.
Ryder confirmed that there has been an increase in rocket and Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) attacks on United States bases and facilities in Iraq and Syria.
"We are concerned about a broader escalation of these attacks in the days ahead, which is why you've seen us move some additional -- or announce some additional movements of forces into the region," the DoD's spokesperson told reporters.
When asked about the mounting number of civilians killed by Israeli airstrikes, Ryder refused to say that the killing of Palestinian civilians, in particular, is one of the Penatgon's concerns.
Iraq's Resistance targets US bases
The Islamic Resistance in Iraq announced that it had targeted two US military occupation bases in Syria, the al-Omar Oilfield in Deir Ezzor, and the al-Shadadi base in al-Hasakah countryside, eastern Syria.
According to the official statement, the bases were successfully hit with suicide drones noting "direct hits".
This is not the first time the Iraqi Resistance targets US bases. Earlier in the day, the Islamic Resistance claimed responsibility for the attack on the US occupation's al-Tanf base in Syria and other US occupation bases near al-Rukban camp.
The Islamic Resistance revealed that the offensives were carried out with drones that caused severe damage after they directly hit their targets.
The Resistance also announced that its fighters conducted a drone strike on the US occupation's al-Malikiyah base in Syria.
Resistance factions in the Middle East have committed to supporting Gaza and its Resistance against the Israeli occupation. Since last week, US occupation bases have been a target of the Resistance's drones and rockets, due to the US's military and diplomatic backing of the Israeli aggression on Gaza.
In the same context, the US has increased its military presence in the region, which included US nuclear-powered aircraft carriers, as well as anti-air defense systems including a THAAD battery.
