iPhone | iPad
Android
Huawei
Republican presidential candidate calls Harris 'mentally impaired' and 'mentally disabled'
KT APPDOWNLOAD
US hikes troops' readiness to deploy in Middle East
Austin authorises military to reinforce its presence with 'defensive' air-support capabilities
US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin. AFP File Photo
US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin has authorised the military to reinforce its presence in the Middle East with "defensive" air-support capabilities and put other forces on a heightened readiness status, the Pentagon said on Sunday.
"(Austin) increased the readiness of additional US forces to deploy, elevating our preparedness to respond to various contingencies," Pentagon spokesman Air Force Major General Patrick Ryder said in a statement.
The statement did not detail what new aircraft would be deploying to the region.
"Secretary Austin made clear that should Iran, its partners, or its proxies use this moment to target American personnel or interests in the region, the United States will take every necessary measure to defend our people," Ryder added.
More news from World
Delegates, including from Lebanon and the Palestinian territories, exited the room as the Israeli PM took the rostrum for his address
The Northern Lights project plans to take CO2 emissions captured at factory smokestacks in Europe and inject them into geological reservoirs under the seabed
Pontiff says an increase in foreign aid could help stem the flow of refugees and migrants seeking to enter Europe
The Norwegian-Indian man, Rinson Jose, is founder of a Bulgarian company that was reportedly part of the pager supply chain
The Israeli military said fighter jets eliminated Mohammed Srur the commander of Hezbollah's air unit in Beirut
The Indian Army soldier was stationed in the Golan Heights under a UN peacekeeping mission
Trump's plans to bring back huge tariffs on foreign imports will hurt middle class Americans in their wallets, says Democratic presidential candidate