Pentagon to deploy 'land-based' firepower and additional troops to Middle East to counter Iranian threats | 2 Aug 2024 | Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has ordered more U.S. troops, ships, fighter jets and "land-based" firepower to the Middle East to counter Iranian threats in the region, the Pentagon announced Friday. The U.S. military "posture adjustments" come as Israel gears up for a likely retaliatory strike from Iran and its proxies related to the recent assassinations of top Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh and Hezbollah military commander Fuad Shukr. "[S]ecretary Austin has ordered additional ballistic missile defense-capable cruisers and destroyers to the U.S. European Command and U.S. Central Command regions," Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Sabrina Singh said in a statement outlining the additional resources being sent to the region. "The Department is also taking steps to increase our readiness to deploy additional land-based ballistic missile defense," she added.