The movement of U.S. Navy assets to support the Jewish state and defend it, if necessary, from an attack from Tehran has gotten into Iran’s head, Sabrina Singh, the deputy Pentagon press secretary said at a Thursday briefing.
“We’ve moved capabilities into the region that I think it’s fair to say have gotten into the headspace of Iran and will influence their calculation on how and if they choose to respond,” Singh said. “We don’t want to see that happen, but we have two carrier strike groups there, each with four destroyers.”
“That sends a very powerful message of deterrence, and it also sends a message that we will stand with Israel should we need to come to their defense,” she added. “I don’t have a crystal ball to be able to forecast how long they’re going to be—stay there, only that I can tell you is that we are well postured should we need to come to the defense of Israel.”
Singh told reporters that the USS Abraham Lincoln, “equipped with F-35C aircraft,” came into the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility yesterday.
The Abe‘s movement is “part of broad adjustments to U.S. military posture in the region designed to improve U.S. force protection, increase support for the defense of Israel and to ensure the United States is prepared to respond to a various range of contingencies,” Singh said.
“We remain focused on efforts to de-escalate tensions in the region,” she added, “while also remaining focused on securing a ceasefire as part of a hostage deal to bring all of the hostages home and to end the war in Gaza.”
Singh was also asked if the Pentagon has been successful in degrading the capabilities of the Houthis.
“The simple answer is yes. We have been successful in degrading their capabilities,” she said. “They still maintain a robust arsenal, but we have been able to degrade their capabilities over time and we have been able to protect ships that transit the Red Sea with our alliance through Operation Prosperity Guardian.”
“So it’s not for nothing. We still know that they maintain capabilities, but the fact that we have been able to do conduct dynamic strikes to prevent ships from being harmed, to prevent innocent sailors and mariners transiting that region—yes, they have gotten a few attacks through when it comes to some vessels transiting, but we’ve also been able to degrade their capabilities,” Singh said.