U.S. prepares for the possibility of an all-out war in Middle East

As hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon escalate, and the war against Hamas in Gaza continues in the aftermath of the October 7 massacre, there is a growing possibility that the conflict could expand into an all-out war.

This week's recent attacks attributed to Israel included the explosion of thousands of pagers and walkie talkies held by Hezbollah terrorists on Tuesday and Wednesday in Lebanon and Syria, resulting in dozens of death and thousands of injuries. These incidents were followed by a heavy Israeli attack that killed Ibrahim Aqil, the operations commander of the Lebanese terror group.

This week, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant told U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin that the focus of the conflict would now shift to Israel's northern border with Lebanon. 

The U.S. has previously sent additional resources to the region to assist Israel and other allies in the area, conduct operations against the Islamic State in Iraq and counter threats from the Houthis, the Iranian-backed terrorist group in Yemen, among other actions.

How is the U.S. deployed in the Middle East?

The U.S. media outlet Spectrum News conducted a comprehensive report on how the U.S. military presence in the Middle East is structured. 

The beefed-up military deployment is not only intended to defend Israel but also to protect U.S. personnel, assets and allies in the region.

The United States has 40,000 troops in the region, although it recently had as many as 50,000 deployed because there were two aircraft carriers in the area, but one of them has since relocated to the Asia-Pacific area.

The media outlet further stated that Navy warships are scattered throughout the region, from the eastern Mediterranean Sea to the Gulf of Oman. It added that both Air Force and Navy fighters are strategically positioned in various locations to respond to any attack.

U.S. military commanders have long argued that the presence of an aircraft carrier in the region, with its array of fighters, surveillance aircraft and sophisticated missiles, constitutes an important deterrent against Iran.

Spectrum News noted that the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier and its three destroyers are in the Gulf of Oman, while two U.S. Navy destroyers are in the Red Sea. In addition, it said the guided-missile submarine USS Georgia, which arrived in the region last month, was in the Red Sea, although officials have not disclosed its exact location.

There are also six warships and three Navy destroyers in the eastern Mediterranean Sea.

The media outlet reported that about six F/A-18 fighter jets from the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln have been moved to a land base in the region, although it did not specify where.

However, the Air Force has not disclosed from which countries these aircraft are operating.

The F-22 fighters, the U.S. media explained, are hard-to-detect. They have sensors capable of suppressing enemy air defenses and can perpetrate electronic attacks. In addition, they can organize other aircraft during an operation.

However, the media clarified that the United States requires more than one aircraft in the Middle East. Last February, it deployed two B-1 bombers from Texas, which flew over 30 hours to strike 85 targets of the Quds Force in Iraq and Syria. The offensive was in response to an attack by Tehran-backed terrorist groups that resuted in the deaths of three U.S. service members.