OMM Redaksiyası
The United States is preparing to deploy additional troops and aircraft to Israel in the coming weeks as it prepares for a possible escalation in the Middle East, Israeli media reported on Sunday.
The Israeli news website Walla, citing unnamed security sources, said about 3,000 US troops are currently deployed across Israel. They operate air defence systems and serve alongside pilots, support crews, logistics personnel and troops at military headquarters.
US forces have carried out routine troop rotations in recent weeks as units complete their deployments in the region, the report said. More troops and aircraft are expected to arrive as part of preparations for a possible escalation.
Israel and US prepare for possible confrontation
The report comes amid a broader US military buildup in the region, with recent reports indicating the deployment of additional troops and naval assets as tensions with Iran rise.
An unnamed senior Israeli security official told Walla that Israel’s adversaries were closely monitoring elections in Israel and the United States and considering whether to influence them through attacks that could destabilise the situation without triggering a wider escalation.
“They understand that the Israeli response this time will be extremely aggressive,” the official said.
According to Walla, Israel’s military is continuing preparations for a renewed confrontation with Iran or a rapid deterioration in the security situation amid ongoing tensions between Tehran and Washington. Those preparations include considering operations Israel could conduct in a broader confrontation and possible targets inside Iran.
The website also reported that Israel and US Central Command (CENTCOM) continue close military coordination on scenarios involving possible Iranian missile attacks.
Iran says it is open to diplomacy
The developments follow remarks by Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, who said Tehran was ready to pursue diplomacy to reach a fair solution. He made the comments at a meeting with foreign ambassadors and diplomatic representatives in Tehran, Iran’s official news agency IRNA reported on Sunday.
Iran presented Washington with seven conditions for reopening the Strait of Hormuz through Qatari mediation during meetings on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in late September. US President Donald Trump said Washington had not accepted the conditions.
Regional tensions extend to Yemen
Walla also reported that Israeli military officials believe the confrontation with Yemen’s Houthi group could affect wider regional alliances and understandings. Israeli assessments point to closer cooperation between Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates against the Houthis, and the possible consequences of regional agreements for other issues, including Lebanon and Iranian influence there.
An unnamed senior Israeli security official told Walla that there was a belief that “those who do not join the confrontation against the Houthis now will remain alone and face their attacks accordingly.”
Fighting between Yemeni government forces and the Houthis intensified in September. The group took control of key locations in Al Hudaydah and Taiz provinces, including the strategic city of Mokha, and advanced to Mayun Island, which overlooks the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.
Yemen has been at war since the Houthis seized the capital, Sanaa, and several provinces in September 2014. A Saudi-led Arab coalition intervened in March 2015 in support of Yemen’s internationally recognised government.
