US deploys military assets to deter Iran retaliation amid Israel-Hezbollah escalations

The decision to increase military assets came right before the IDF's ground invasion into Lebanon that took place on Tuesday.

By JERUSALEM POST STAFF OCTOBER 1, 2024 04:19 Updated: OCTOBER 1, 2024 04:20

U.S. F-15E Strike Eagle, based out of Al Udeid Base in Doha, Qatar, conducts a combat air patrol mission over an undisclosed location in Southwest Asia, in this picture taken September 17, 2019 and released by U.S. Air Force on September 23, 2019. (photo credit: Russ Scalf/U.S. Air Force/Handout via REUTERS)

The US has deployed further military assets to deter Iran from retaliating as tensions increasingly escalate between Israel and Hezbollah, a Tuesday Wall Street Journal report that cited US and Israeli officials revealed.

According to the report, the US Defense Department has planned on increasing the amount of Air Force F-15E, F-16, and A-10 warplanes it has deployed in the Middle East. 

Furthermore, such an increase would be reportedly significant because F-15E and F-16 fighters were responsible for shooting Iranian drones when Tehran mounted a missile and drone attack against Israel in April.

Notably, the decision to increase military assets came right before the IDF's ground invasion into Lebanon that took place on Tuesday.

Additionally, the report added that the Marine Amphibious Ready Group, consisting of some 2,200 Marines and soldiers, will be prepared to deploy more forces if needed.

An F-15E Strike Eagle, assigned to the 336th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron, on its missions out of Prince Sultan Air Base, Saudi Arabian, takes off at Al Dhafra Air Base in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, in this picture taken September 18, 2019 (credit: Chris Thornbury/U.S. Air Force/Handout via REUTERS)

An unclear response

The Wall Street Journal also mentioned that the extent of Tehran’s potential response remains unclear, as Iranian officials appear divided over what the best course of action to take is.

According to analysts in the report, there could be a broad range of Iranian retaliation, which would involve renewed strikes by Iran in proxies against the US military bases in the Middle East.

The report also mentioned that “Tehran is unlikely to engage in a missile launch unless it believes it will achieve greater success than its April attack,”  Norman Roule, a former CIA official, said.