Washington, 22 October 2023 (dpa/MIA) - The US is moving more weapons systems to the eastern Mediterranean in the face of a looming escalation of violence in the Middle East, the Pentagon said on Saturday.

US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said that he "activated the deployment of a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery as well as additional Patriot battalions to locations throughout the region to increase force protection for U.S. forces."

The US had previously sent two aircraft carriers and their stike groups to the eastern Mediterranean as a deterrent following the terror attack on Israel by the Islamist Hamas on October 7.

Austin said that the decision to "further strengthen the Department of Defense posture in the region" followed discussions with US President Joe Biden "on recent escalations by Iran and its proxy forces across the Middle East Region."

"These steps will bolster regional deterrence efforts, increase force protection for U.S. forces in the region, and assist in the defense of Israel," Austin said.

Since the October 7 attack, Israel has been pounding Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip by air and mobilized hundreds of thousands of military reservists ahead of an expected ground offensive in Gaza.

The major coordinated attack left more than 1,400 people dead in Israel, more than 1,000 of them civilians. About 200 people were kidnapped and are being held captive by militants in Gaza.

The number of Palestinians killed in the Gaza Strip since October 7 rose to 4,385, the Hamas-run Health Ministry said on Saturday.

Photo: MIA archive