U.S. Expands Missile Protection for Gulf Allies

U.S. dispatches anti-missile systems, namely, Patriot batteries, anti-missile ships and cruisers as an extended defense line for its Persian Gulf allies currently being threatened as targets for a very likely Iranian strike.

Before any of the anticipated Iranian attack to Persian Gulf allies, the United States deploys two Patriot batteries to each of Qatar, Kuwait, United Arab Emirates, and Bahrain, while Saudi Arabia and Israel already have the missiles. The dispatch was after President Obama's hopes to appease the allied countries from being possible targets for an Iranian offensive to reprise U.S. sanctions.

The batteries are loaded with anti-missile systems capable of intercepting airborne warheads, including two more ships posted on the Persian Gulf, and armed with similar weaponry. Also, several Aegis cruisers are to constantly patrol the Gulf coast. These Aegis cruisers are equipped with highly powerful radars and arsenal to seize any attack concerning medium-range missiles.

According to U.S. military and government higher ups, the missiles should serve as protection campaign for allies in the Middle East. Speaking so, the dispatch is also part of an expanded defense-line against Iran's alleged serial production of nuclear warheads, which the Israel government is reacting to concurrently. However, Iran's Revolutionary Guard corps keeps on insisting such accusations are all but false and that their nuclear programs are only aimed to support their energy sectors.

Whichever is true, Israel officials now stand on a thin line of planning an attack to Iran's nuclear research factories, though the plan is extremely risky and full of holes. Israel had long before admitted to it, that without support from the U.S. forces, any plan might not be successful at all and end up posing much more threat of a nuclear counterattack from Tehran.

Details are informally leaked to the American press while many are still drawn to the conclusion of this being a message for Tehran, that U.S. is standing its ground against all adversities.

Information by The New York Times-coming from an anonymous senior military officer-says, "Our first goal is to deter the Iranians. A second is to reassure the Arab states, so they don't feel they have to go nuclear themselves." It was also stated that the missile deployment aims to calm the Israel people.

Sources;

Irish Times

The New York Times