US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin warned on Sunday that his country will not hesitate to act militarily against those who seek to expand the conflict in the Middle East between Israel and the Qassam Brigades of the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas).
Austin told ABC News: "Those who seek to widen the conflict. Our advice is not to do this, we reserve our right to defend ourselves and will not hesitate to act," he said, noting that Washington sees no possibility of "a significant escalation in attacks on its forces and citizens throughout the region."
Austin's warning comes hours after the Pentagon announced the strengthening of its military deployment in the region with the possibility of any escalation by Iran or its allies in light of the Israeli war on the Gaza Strip, and the continuation of the "Al-Aqsa Flood" operation launched by the Palestinian resistance factions at dawn on the seventh of October against Israel.
The Pentagon said the United States would send a THAAD and Patriot air defense systems to the Middle East in response to recent attacks on U.S. forces in the region.
For its part, Iran warned on Sunday the United States and Israel of the situation in the region "out of control," unless Israel stops its attacks on the Gaza Strip, which is witnessing for the 16th consecutive day intensive raids that left thousands of martyrs and wounded.