US moves forces to protect Israel from Iran

Deployment comes as Pentagon fears a direct attack from Tehran could come in next 48 hours

THE United States is deploying extra military assets near Israel to protect it from a strike by Iran that could come as soon as this weekend.

US officials said they had implemented “force posture changes” and deployed “additional assets” to the region in light of threats by Tehran to strike Israeli territory in retaliation for an air strike on its consulate in Damascus last week. The Pentagon yesterday was expecting an attack in the next 48 hours, which raised the prospect of a direct conflict between Iran and Israel for the first time.

Joe Biden, the US president, said yesterday he expected Iran to attack Israel “sooner, rather than later”, and warned Tehran not to proceed. Asked by reporters about his message to Iran, Mr Biden said simply: “Don’t.”

He added: “We are devoted to the defence of Israel. We will support Israel. We will help defend Israel and Iran will not succeed.”

The USS Eisenhower, an aircraft carrier, has sailed north through the Red Sea, bringing it closer to Israel, while local media reported Washington was planning to station a missile-equipped vessel close to the Israeli coast.

The Eisenhower is deployed alongside a US Navy cruiser, USS Philippine Sea, and two destroyers, USS Gravely and USS Mason.

An online flight tracker tool showed a cargo plane linked to the aircraft carrier taking off near Yanbu, a Saudi Arabian port city in the northern Red Sea.

The US Navy declined to comment on reports that it had increased its presence in the region, amid reports Iran has warned the US not to defend Israel or get involved in the conflict.

John Kirby, the White House’s national security spokesman, told reporters: “I certainly can’t deny that we’ve taken a look at [US deployments] and made some adjustments, but I am not in a position to get into the actual details of what that looks like.”

The US has also increased its presence on Middle East bases in anticipation of attacks by Iran or its proxy groups, such as Hezbollah in Lebanon.

A defence official said: “We are moving additional assets to the region to bolster regional deterrence efforts and increase force protection for US forces.”

The State Department has advised its staff not to travel within Israel until the situation is resolved. The UK, France, India and Russia have issued travel warnings to nationals in the region. Israel’s foreign ministry did not comment on reprots that some Israeli diplomatic missions had been partly evacuated.

An Iranian attack on Israel has been threatened by the country’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei since the Damascus strike on April 1, which killed a senior Iranian Revolutionary Guards commander. Israel has not claimed responsibility for the air strike but is widely believed to have been behind it. It is unclear whether Iran’s response would come from Iranian soil or from its proxies in Lebanon and Syria.

Western intelligence officials expect attacks on military and government buildings in Israel, but do not think civilians will be targeted.

“I can’t speak to what the intelligence picture tells us in terms of the size, scale, scope of what that attack might look like, except to say that we’re taking this seriously,” Mr Kirby said.

Given its magnitude, a strike on military targets would be challenging for Israel to defend itself against, US officials told CBS News.

‘We are moving additional assets to the region to bolster regional deterrence efforts’

‘I can’t speak to what the intelligence picture tells us in terms of the size, scale, scope of that attack’