US Expands Troops in Middle East... Rising Tensions of US-Iran Armed Conflict

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Jeong Hyunjin] Amid rising tensions of military conflict between the US and Iran following the death of Qasim Soleimani, commander of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps Quds Force, the US military has expanded its forces in the Middle East.

According to AP and other sources on the 4th (local time), hundreds of US troops stationed at Fort Bragg in North Carolina departed for Kuwait that day. They are expected to join 700 troops who urgently deployed to the Middle East earlier last week after the US Embassy in Baghdad was attacked by pro-Iranian protesters in Iraq.

Lieutenant Colonel Mike Burns, spokesperson for the US 82nd Airborne Division, told AP, "3,500 rapid response troops from the 82nd Airborne Division will be deployed to the Middle East within days." He explained, "This deployment is an expected outcome. Due to the increased threat level to US forces and facilities, we are positioning troops in Kuwait to respond appropriately."

This troop reinforcement appears to be based on the assessment that Iran’s likelihood of retaliation has increased following Commander Soleimani’s death on the 3rd. Burns said, "Soldiers in the rapid response unit are always prepared to respond quickly to overseas crises," adding, "When they receive a call from their superiors, soldiers must be ready to arrive at the base armed with combat equipment within two hours and be prepared to deploy to the combat zone within 18 hours."

The military released footage showing soldiers dressed in camouflage uniforms boarding planes with backpacks and rifles. The video also captured scenes of combat armored transport vehicles, Humvees, being loaded onto cargo planes bound for the Middle East.

Meanwhile, the British Navy has decided to escort all UK-flagged vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz, a vital oil shipping route, amid rising tensions in the Middle East. UK Defense Secretary Ben Wallace stated, "I have ordered the Royal Navy to resume escort duties for all vessels sailing under the British flag." The UK Prime Minister’s Office also announced that Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab is scheduled to travel to Washington DC this week to meet with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.