Haniyeh assassination: U.S. to send more warships to Middle East

The US military will deploy additional fighter jets and Navy warships in the Middle East amid possible Iran, Hamas and Hezbollah retaliation against Israel.

The move comes after Iran and the Palestinian group announced to avenge the killing of leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran.

The approval for the deployment of additional fleet was given by US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin. The additional resources are capable of shooting down ballistic missiles– to the Middle East and Europe.

It is also sending an additional squadron of fighter jets to the Middle East.

“Austin has ordered adjustments to U.S. military posture designed to improve U.S. force protection, to increase support for the defense of Israel, and to ensure the United States is prepared to respond to various contingencies,” the Pentagon said in a statement.

It had been speculated that the Pentagon might not replace the USS Theodore Roosevelt carrier in the region. However, Austin decided to rotate in the USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier strike group to replace it.

The Pentagon statement added it would increase readiness to deploy more land-based ballistic missile defenses.