What Do We Know About U.S. Military Equipment in the Middle East?

With the escalation of tensions in the Middle East, especially following Iran's threats and those of its proxy groups to attack Israel, the United States has increased its military presence in the region. Lloyd Austin, the U.S. Secretary of Defense, emphasized the United States' commitment to defending Israel during a phone call with Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on August 14. Following the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh, head of the political bureau of the extremist group Hamas, which occurred on August 1 in Tehran, the Islamic Republic of Iran has repeatedly threatened retaliatory action against Israel for over two weeks. Both Hamas, which is on the U.S. and European terrorist lists, and Iran accuse Israel of assassinating Haniyeh. Israel has not confirmed or denied these accusations. On the other hand, on August 1, Foad Shukr, the highest military official of Hezbollah in Lebanon, was killed in an Israeli airstrike in the southern suburbs of Beirut. Hezbollah has also promised retaliation against Israel. Various media outlets, including the American site Axios, have reported that Israeli intelligence circles assess Iran's attack as direct and imminent. The U.S. Secretary of Defense, in his phone call with his Israeli counterpart, stressed the necessity of strengthening U.S. military capabilities throughout the Middle East, given the escalating tensions in the region. For this reason, the Secretary of Defense ordered the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln, equipped with F-35C fighters, to be placed under the command of U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) in the Middle East. According to the Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary, the Secretary of Defense has ordered the USS Abraham Lincoln strike group to replace the USS Theodore Roosevelt group, which is currently operating in the Gulf of Oman. The USS Abraham Lincoln is the fifth Nimitz-class aircraft carrier in the U.S. Navy. The Secretary of Defense also ordered the deployment of the USS Georgia submarine in the Middle East, known for its offensive capabilities. According to information from a Pentagon-affiliated news outlet, this submarine operates on nuclear fuel and has the capability to launch ballistic missiles. The Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor is referred to as an 'engineering marvel.' This fighter combines stealth, incredible speed, and high maneuverability, allowing it to engage multiple targets simultaneously, making it one of the main and strategic weapons of the U.S. Air Force in the Asia-Pacific region. The F-22 Raptor can fly up to about 3,000 kilometers using external fuel tanks; this distance increases with in-flight refueling. The most significant achievement of this fighter occurred on February 3, 2023, when it shot down a Chinese spy balloon off the coast of North Carolina. According to a report by the Council on Foreign Relations, a reputable think tank in the U.S., a fleet of large warships has been dispatched to the region since early August, including aircraft carriers and amphibious assault ships. The report states that over 12,500 U.S. Navy Marines are also present in the Middle East. Sabrina Singh, Assistant Press Secretary for the U.S. Department of Defense, stated that the Pentagon is increasing its forces in the Middle East to reduce the likelihood of escalating regional tensions and to counter Iran and its proxy groups. The United States had previously deployed the USS Theodore Roosevelt aircraft carrier and several destroyers capable of countering ballistic missiles to CENTCOM. According to CENTCOM, the USS Theodore Roosevelt is a multi-role airbase capable of carrying a diverse array of aircraft. This aircraft carrier typically hosts F/A-18 Super Hornet fighters, EA-18G Growler electronic warfare aircraft, Northrop Grumman E-2 Hawkeye early warning aircraft, Grumman C-2 Greyhound cargo planes, MH-60 Seahawk helicopters, and Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II fighters. However, as mentioned, the USS Abraham Lincoln strike group has replaced the USS Theodore Roosevelt group at the direction of the U.S. Secretary of Defense. A few weeks prior, the U.S. Department of Defense announced the deployment of the amphibious assault ship USS Wasp (LHD-1) and the ARG/MEU Marine Expeditionary Unit in the Middle East. According to the Council on Foreign Relations, the United States has had a strong military presence in the region for several decades. U.S. forces are stationed in about 12 countries, and U.S. Navy ships patrol the waters throughout the region. The report indicates that since June, the U.S. has concentrated several thousand forces in the Middle East and several thousand more stationed on ships patrolling the area. The United States has also stored military equipment at least in 19 bases in regional countries, including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Jordan, Iraq, Egypt, Syria, Bahrain, and Israel. The U.S. military also uses large military bases in Djibouti and Turkey to command parts of other areas, which usually play a significant role in U.S. operations in the Middle East. According to the Council on Foreign Relations, host countries of U.S. bases in the region also have military agreements with the United States. Qatar hosts the regional headquarters of U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM). Bahrain is also home to the U.S. Fifth Fleet, which has the highest number of permanently stationed U.S. forces.