American F-16 fighter jets have been deployed to the Middle East, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed on Friday, in a show of an "ironclad" commitment to Israel as tensions mount with Iran.
CENTCOM did not detail how many F-16s had been sent to the "area of responsibility," but said they had been deployed from the 480th Fighter Squadron based at Spangdahlem Air Base in Germany.
When pressed by reporters about whether the move signaled Jerusalem was preparing to launch its promised retaliatory attack on Iran for the 180-missile strike it levied at Israel earlier this month, White House National Security Council communications director John Kirby said he could not go into any detail on the issue.
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"Our commitment to Israel's security remains ironclad," he said. "And that means, as appropriate, making force posture changes that we think need to be made to help Israel defend itself."
The U.S., which has been increasingly bolstering its regional defenses for months, has played a critical role in defending Israel from two substantial missile attacks, the first incident occurring in April when some 300 missiles and drones were fired and the second having played out earlier this month.
According to a report by Bloomberg on Friday, the U.S. has also signaled to Saudi Arabia that it will help defend the kingdom should it come under attack by Iran, once its chief adversary in the region, or its proxy forces.
The promise allegedly served as some comfort to the U.S. partner as many Gulf states remain on high alert over concerns of a regional war.
The international community has been anxiously watching Israel's fight against Iranian proxy forces, Hamas and Hezbollah, as the U.S., as well as other regional partners, hustle to de-escalate the situation from becoming an all-out war between Israel and Iran — both of which have sophisticated military capabilities.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who was in the Middle East this week before traveling to London on Thursday, met with United Arab Emirates (UAE) Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan on Friday to discuss efforts to bring an end to the war in Gaza and to secure the release of the hostages who have been in Hamas captivity for more than a year.
State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said Blinken and his UAE counterpart also discussed "the post-conflict period" and what a "vision for governance, security and reconstruction that establishes lasting peace for Israelis and Palestinians alike" could look like.
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While the Biden administration holds tight to a two-state solution, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected the idea long pushed by many in the international community.
But the war in Gaza wasn’t the only issue up for discussion with the top regional ally. The pair also looked to Israel’s operations in Lebanon in its push to eradicate the threat Hezbollah poses there.
"The Secretary underscored the importance of a diplomatic solution that fully implements United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701," Miller said, though he did not go into detail on how the U.S. and its allies will look to ensure Hezbollah, which has embedded itself in the everyday life of many in Lebanon, will be stamped out.
While Blinken also spoke with Lebanese Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati on Friday, their discussions appeared to concentrate on the humanitarian toll Israel’s operations have taken, including mounting civilian casualties.
"He emphasized Iran and Hezbollah must not stand in the way of Lebanon’s security and stability," Miller said in a readout. "He also expressed support for the U.N. Interim Force in Lebanon and underscored that the safety and security of their personnel is essential."
"They discussed Lebanon’s presidential vacancy and the need to empower leadership that reflects the will of the people," he added. Blinken also met with Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi.
