The United States is reallocating military assets, including naval ships, in the Middle East in response to Israel’s recent strikes on Iran and the possibility of retaliation from Tehran, according to U.S. officials. The Navy has ordered the destroyer USS Thomas Hudner, equipped to defend against ballistic missiles, to move from the western Mediterranean toward the eastern Mediterranean. Additionally, a second destroyer is being positioned to be ready if the White House requests it.
American fighter jets are also conducting patrols in the region to protect personnel and military bases, with extra security measures being implemented at air bases. Officials, speaking anonymously to share sensitive operational details, noted these precautions have been in place for several days. Military dependents have been given the option to leave regional bases voluntarily to reduce risk ahead of any large-scale Iranian response.
Currently, about 40,000 U.S. troops are stationed in the Middle East, up from the usual 30,000. This increase mirrors previous surges during heightened tensions between Israel and Iran, such as last October, when troop numbers reached 43,000 amid ongoing attacks on commercial and military vessels in the Red Sea by Iranian-backed Houthis in Yemen.
The U.S. Navy maintains additional forces that could be deployed to the region if necessary, particularly aircraft carriers and their accompanying warships. The USS Carl Vinson is presently in the Arabian Sea, the only aircraft carrier in the area. Meanwhile, the USS Nimitz, based in the Indo-Pacific, and the USS George Washington, recently departed from Japan, could be redirected to the Middle East if ordered.
Earlier, then-President Joe Biden had sent naval ships to the region after the Hamas attacks on Israel on October 7, 2023, aiming to deter Hezbollah and Iranian aggression. On October 1, 2024, U.S. Navy destroyers launched about a dozen interceptors to defend Israel from over 200 missiles fired by Iran.
