Pentagon press secretary addresses recent drone and rocket attacks in the Middle East.
Pentagon Press Secretary Air Force Brigadier General Pat Ryder gave a briefing on Monday in which he responded to questions about increased rocket and UAV attacks against U.S. bases and facilities in Iraq and Syria.
General Ryder said, “We know that these groups are groups that are backed by Iran. We don’t necessarily see that Iran has explicitly ordered them to take these kinds of attacks. That said, by virtue of the fact that they are supported by Iran, we will ultimately hold Iran responsible.“
The general spoke about the increase in personnel being sent “to strengthen our posture in the Middle East region.” He repeated what Defense Secretary Austin stated on Sunday, stating, “We are concerned about a broader escalation of these attacks in the days ahead, which is why you’ve seen us move some additional – or announce some additional movements of forces into the region.“
He added, “We’ve placed an additional number of forces on prepare-to-deploy orders as a prudent measure to allow us to be ready to move forces quickly, should we need to do so.“
General Ryder said, “The focus of the department continues to be on supporting Israel’s right to defend itself from terrorist attacks, deterring a broader conflict in the region and then ensuring force protection of our troops.“
As the Lord Leads, Pray with Us…
- For Secretary Lloyd Austin to seek God’s guidance as the U.S. responds to the attacks on American military personnel.
- For the president and his military advisors as they determine how and where to deploy U.S. troops.
- For safety for members of the U.S. military as attacks by Iranian-backed groups increase.
Sources: Department of Defense, Politico
