Pentagon Puts Troops on “Prepare-to-Deploy” Status Amid Attacks on US in Middle East

The United States Department of Defense is putting additional troops on “prepare-to-deploy” status amid escalating tensions in the Middle East.

The Pentagon had earlier put military forces on “high alert” after the surprise attack carried out by Hamas against Israel on October 7.

On Tuesday, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin “placed approximately 2,000 personnel and a range of units on a heightened state of readiness through a prepare-to-deploy order,” Pentagon spokeswoman Sabrina Singh said.

U.S. Secretary of Defense, Lloyd Austin announced tonight that due to the recent Attacks by Pro-Iranian Militias across the Middle East and the Escalation we have Observed in Israel, the U.S. Army will be Deploying a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) Battery as well as… pic.twitter.com/d86YnrF2uQ

— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) October 22, 2023

In addition, as reported by the open source military intelligence X account OSINT Defender, a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) Battery and additional Patriot Surface-to-Air Missile Batteries are now being sent to the region to assist in aerial defense.

Two U.S. Navy carrier groups were dispatched to the region in an effort to deter Iran and offer support to regional allies.

On October 8, the USS Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group was dispatched to the eastern Mediterranean. Then, on October 14, the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group was likewise sent to the eastern Mediterranean.

The Pentagon on Saturday issued a public briefing on its current military preparations, should the U.S. be drawn further into the armed conflict.

First, I redirected the movement of the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group to the Central Command area of responsibility. This carrier strike group is in addition to the USS Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group, which is currently operating in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea. It will further increase our force posture and strengthen our capabilities and ability to respond to a range of contingencies. 

I have also activated the deployment of a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery as well as additional Patriot battalions to locations throughout the region to increase force protection for U.S. forces.

Finally, I have placed an additional number of forces on prepare to deploy orders as part of prudent contingency planning, to increase their readiness and ability to quickly respond as required. 

There have been a number of attacks involving U.S. military forces and its allies this week.

As reported by the military analysis site Task and Purpose, there were two drone attacks on the Al-Asad Air Base in Western Iraq on Wednesday that left U.S. troops ‘slightly injured.’ The drones were damaged or destroyed, according to military reports.

The U.S. military also destroyed a third drone in an attack in Northern Iraq, according to CENTCOM. No injuries from that attack were reported.

“In this moment of heightened alert, we are vigilantly monitoring the situation in Iraq and the region. U.S. forces will defend U.S. and Coalition forces against any threat,” the CENTCOM statement says about the drone attacks.

The Associated Press reported on Wednesday that Tashkil al-Waritheen, an Iranian-backed militia, claimed responsibility for the drone attack on Al-Harir Air Base.

The Islamic Resistance in Iraq claims responsibility for the latest rocket attack on Ain Alasad Airbase, western #Iraq. pic.twitter.com/NciM55S7Jq

— Tammuz Intel (@Tammuz_Intel) October 19, 2023

As of October 21, 2023, the Iranian-aligned Islamic Resistance in Iraq, believed to be an umbrella group, has claimed the following attacks:

• October 17, 2023: drone attack on Al-Asad Air Base in Western Iraq.
• October 17, 2023: drone attack on Harir base in Iraqi Kurdistan. This attack was initially claimed by Al-Warithuun (Tashkil al-Waritheen, or the Inheritors) before a superseding claim was issued by al-Muqawama al-Islamiyah fil Iraq and the Warithuun claim was removed in deference.
• October 19, 2023: drone attack on Al-Tanf garrison in Syria.
• October 19, 2023: rocket attack on U.S. base at Conoco gas field in Syria.
• October 19, 2023: rocket attack on Al-Asad Air Base in Western Iraq.
• October 20, 2023: drone attack on Harir base in Iraqi Kurdistan.
• October 21, 2023: drone attack on Al-Asad Air Base in Western Iraq.

As reported by OSINT investigator Justen Charters, pro-Hezbollah groups are reporting that the Al-Asad airbase was attacked again on Saturday.

On Thursday, the USS Carney (DDG-64), a guided-missile destroyer, “shot down” three missiles and a number of drones fired from Houthi-controlled territory in Yemen.

“This action was a demonstration of the integrated air and missile defense architecture that we have built in the Middle East and that we are prepared to utilize whenever necessary to protect our partners and our interests in this important region. There were no casualties to U.S. forces and none that we know of to any civilians on the ground,” Pentagon press secretary Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder told reporters.

The increasing number of attacks involving U.S. forces and the Pentagon’s preparation to deploy troops and advanced weaponry indicates that the nation is on the verge of potentially becoming embroiled in a regional war in the Middle East.

Hamas is attributed with killing at least 31 Americans in its attack on Israel, and have taken an unknown number of the nation’s citizens hostage.

On the diplomatic front, efforts are underway to isolate Iran and military arms like Hezbollah to prevent them from directly entering the fray.

The Saudi prince Turki al-Faisal, a former spy chief, condemned Hamas on Thursday for its attack on Israel and left open the potential for a normalization of relations, which would present a key counter-balance against further potential Iranian aggression.