US getting ready for a war in Middle East

  Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin ordered an increase in the U.S. military’s force posture in the Middle East, including the activation of a THAAD missile defense battery “as well as additional Patriot [missile defense] battalions to locations throughout the region,” the Defense Department said in a statement Saturday while the Israeli air force continued to pound alleged militant locations with hundreds of strikes across the Gaza strip and in southern Lebanon.

Austin also “placed an additional number of forces on prepare-to-deploy orders as part of prudent contingency planning, to increase their readiness and ability to quickly respond as required,” according to the Pentagon.
 
“We don’t want to see our forces or our personnel come under fire. But if that happens, we’re ready for it,” State Secretary Antony Blinken said Sunday on NBC’s “Meet the Press.” The U.S. forces in the region “won’t hesitate to take the appropriate action” if threatened, Defense Secretary Austin told ABC News’ “This Week” on Sunday.