WASHINGTON: The United States is deploying additional military might in the Middle East as a defensive measure with a goal of de-escalating tensions in the region, a White House official said on Sunday.

Regional tensions have increased following the assassination on Wednes­day of Ismail Haniyeh, the leader of Hamas, in the Iranian capital Tehran a day after an Israeli strike in the Lebanese capital Beirut killed Fuad Shukr, a senior military commander from Hezbollah.

The Pentagon said on Friday it would deploy additional fighter jets and Navy warships to the region.

“The overall goal is to turn the temperature down in the region, deter and defend against those attacks, and avoid regional conflict,” Jonathan Finer, White House National Security Council deputy adviser, said on the CBS programme “Face the Nation.”

The United States and Israel are preparing for every possibility, Finer added. The United States wants to be prepared should that situation rise again, Finer added.

US President Joe Biden on Saturday expressed hope that Iran would stand down despite its threat to avenge Haniyeh’s killing.

“This is no prediction about future events. It is prudent planning for them and for our government,” Finer said on CBS.

Hamas said it has begun a “broad consultation process” to choose a new leader to replace Haniyeh, who was the face of the group’s international diplomacy.

The United States and international partners including France, Britain, Italy and Egypt continued diplomatic contacts seeking to prevent fur-ther regional escalation.

Published in Dawn, August 5th, 2024