As the Israel-Hamas conflict continues on its 16th day, tensions in the region are gradually escalating. Appearing on NBC television channel's "Meet the Press" program, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated that the US "expects the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to escalate with Iranian intervention" and emphasized that the Biden administration is ready to respond if US personnel or armed forces in the region "are the target of any hostile action."
Blinken said, "This is not what we want. We don't want escalation. We don't want our forces or our personnel to come under fire, but if that happens, we are ready to respond." Blinken underlined that no one wants to see a second or third front in the war.
Expecting Iranian authorities to step up their attacks on US forces and personnel in the region, Blinken said steps were being taken to ensure their safety and to "respond decisively when necessary".
Additional military assets deployed to the region
Blinken said that additional military assets, including two aircraft carrier task groups, have been deployed to the region, adding, "(We did this) not to provoke, but to deter and to make it clear that we are there if anyone tries to do anything."
In a written statement issued by the US State Department today, it was reported that personnel who were not on critical missions were ordered to leave the US Embassy in Erbil and the Consulate General in Erbil.
Threatening statement from the US: We will respond!
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that the United States "expects the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to escalate with Iranian intervention" and emphasized that the Biden administration "stands ready to respond if US personnel or armed forces in the region are the target of any hostile action.
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