US to deploy 900 soldiers in Middle East under CENTCOM

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Al Mayadeen
26 Oct 2023 23:28

Pentagon speaker Pat Ryder says that two Iron Dome systems allocated from the US inventory have been sent to "Israel."

Jets aboard the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier Harry S. Truman are positioned on deck in preparation for a fly off at sea off the coast of North Carolina Monday, Sept. 21, 2009 (AP Photo/Steve Helber)

Pentagon Press Secretary Pat Ryder confirmed on Thursday the United States’ plan to enhance "Israel's" war capabilities amidst the ongoing war on Gaza.

"In conjunction to the previously announced security assistance for Israel, I can confirm the delivery of two US Iron Dome systems from our inventory to help further bolster Israel’s air defense capabilities against rocket attacks," Ryder told reports without providing further details.

Ryder also revealed the US’s strategic military deployment aimed at stabilizing the tense situation in the Middle East.

"In a move to deter the escalation of a broader conflict and enhance the US force protection capabilities, approximately 900 troops have been or are currently in the process of being deployed to the US Central Command [CENTCOM] Area of Responsibility," Ryder added.

Last Friday, the White House Office of Management and Budget revealed that President Joe Biden is seeking an additional $106 billion in funding from Congress. This funding is intended to offer increased assistance to Ukraine, "Israel", and the Indo-Pacific region and to support operations along the US southern border.

Additionally, there is $14.3 billion allocated for the occupation entity, comprising $10.6 billion designated for security assistance, including air and missile support, investments in the industrial base, and restocking US weapon supplies, as outlined in the document.

In the same context, a report by Axios earlier this month detailed that the Pentagon plans to send tens of thousands of 155mm artillery shells to "Tel Aviv," shells that were originally designated for Ukraine from US emergency stocks.

According to three Israeli officials familiar with the matter, the entity requested these ammunitions to prepare for a potential ground invasion in Gaza and to address the possibility of an escalation involving the Lebanese Resistance, Hezbollah, along the Palestine-Lebanon border.