WASHINGTON — US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Monday (June 16) he had ordered the deployment of additional defensive capabilities to the Middle East, as the escalating conflict between Israel and Iran drives regional tensions higher.
Hegseth did not disclose what military capabilities he sent to the region. But Reuters was the first to report earlier on Monday a deployment of a large number of US military refuelling aircraft and the movement of an aircraft carrier to the Middle East.
"Protecting US forces is our top priority and these deployments are intended to enhance our defensive posture in the region," Hegseth said in a post on social media platform X.
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