Exclusive Top US general makes unannounced Middle East trip as Iran threat looms Reuters
Written by Phil Stewart
AMMAN (Reuters) – A U.S. general began an unannounced visit to the Middle East on Saturday to discuss ways to avoid a new escalation of tensions that could fuel a major conflict, as the region faces Iran's threat to attack Israel.
Air Force General CQ Brown, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, began his trip in Jordan and said he would visit Egypt and Israel in the coming days to hear the views of military leaders.
His visit comes as the United States tries to secure a controversial deal to end hostage-taking in Gaza between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas, which Brown said would “help bring down the temperature,” if achieved.
“At the same time, as I'm talking to our colleagues, what are the things we can do to prevent any kind of wider escalation and make sure we take all the appropriate steps to (avoid) … a wider conflict,” Brown told Reuters before arriving in Jordan.
The administration of US President Joe Biden wanted to stop the outbreak of the war in Gaza between Hamas and Israel, which is now in its 11th month. The conflict has sparked a major flare-up in Gaza, sparked a border conflict between Israel and Iran-backed Lebanon's Hezbollah movement and sparked an attack by Yemen's Houthis on Red Sea ships.
Meanwhile, US forces have been attacked by Iran-allied forces in Syria, Iraq and Jordan. In recent weeks, the US military has been strengthening its forces in the Middle East to prevent new attacks by Iran or its allies, sending the Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier strike group to the region to take on the Theodore Roosevelt strike group.
The United States also sent an Air Force F-22 Raptor to the region and deployed a missile submarine.
“We've brought in an additional force to send a strong message to prevent a broader conflict … but also to protect our troops if they are attacked,” Brown said, saying that protecting American troops is “very important.”
THE IRANIAN ANSWER
Iran has vowed to respond harshly to the killing of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, which happened during his visit to Tehran late last month, which Israel blamed. Israel has neither confirmed nor denied its involvement.
Hezbollah also threatened retaliation after Israel killed a top Hezbollah commander in Beirut last month.
Iran has not publicly revealed what will be the target of Haniyeh's murder, but American officials say they are watching closely for any signs that Iran will make good on its threats.
“We're always standing, watching (intelligence) and forcing a move,” Brown said. On Friday, Iran's new Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi told his French and British counterparts in telephone conversations that it was his country's right to retaliate, according to the official IRNA news agency.
On April 13, two weeks after two Iranian generals were killed in a strike on the Tehran embassy in Syria, Iran unleashed hundreds of drones, cruise missiles and ballistic missiles toward Israel, damaging two air bases. Israel, the United States and other allies are able to destroy almost all of the weapons before they reach their targets.
Brown did not speculate on what Iran and its allies might do, but said he hoped they would discuss different situations with their Israeli counterpart.
“Especially, as I discuss with our Israeli partners, how they would respond, depends on the response from Hezbollah or Iran,” Brown said.
The current war in the Gaza Strip began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas gunmen stormed Israeli communities, killing about 1,200 people and taking about 250 hostages, according to Israeli figures.
Since then, Israel's military campaign has driven nearly all 2.3 million Palestinians from their homes, causing famine and disease and killing at least 40,000 people, according to Palestinian health authorities.
