Why the US Is Rushing Air Defences to the Middle East as Iran Tensions Rise

The United States is moving additional air and missile defences into the Middle East as it prepares for the possibility of Iranian retaliation, even as President Donald Trump stops short of ordering military

strikes, according to US officials, reports Wall Street Journal.Trump’s promised “armada,” led by the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier strike group, has arrived in the region, along with advanced fighter jets. However, officials say US airstrikes on Iran are not imminent as the Pentagon focuses on strengthening defences to protect Israel, Arab allies and American forces in the event of a broader conflict.While the US could conduct limited airstrikes if ordered, officials say a decisive attack would likely provoke a strong Iranian response, requiring robust air defences across the region.

The Pentagon is deploying an additional Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery and Patriot missile systems to bases where US troops are stationed, including Jordan, Kuwait, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Qatar, according to defense officials and satellite imagery cited by The Wall Street Journal. THAAD systems intercept ballistic missiles at high altitude, while Patriots target lower-altitude threats.“The air defense question is key—the extent to which we have sufficient materiel to ensure that our troops and assets in the region are going to be protected from some kind of Iranian retaliation,” said Suzanne Maloney, a former State Department official on Iran policy.Trump has said Iran appears to be negotiating seriously but warned of “big, powerful ships heading in that direction” if diplomacy fails. Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei responded by saying, “The Americans should know if they start a war, this time it will be a regional war.”The importance of air defences was highlighted during last June’s 12-day conflict, when U.S. forces helped defend Israel from Iranian missile barrages. The U.S. later carried out “Midnight Hammer,” striking Iranian nuclear sites. Iran retaliated by launching missiles at the Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, where Patriot systems intercepted most of the attack.

“It was like a play in a game. It wasn’t the game writ large,” Lt. Gen. Jason Armagost said, referring to the U.S. operation.Analysts warn that a broader campaign could strain limited U.S. air defense resources. “It is expensive to move Patriots and THAADs. The probability that they’re going to be used starts to go up,” said Seth Jones, a former Defense Department official.