Coinciding with an Iranian threat to respond to Israel, Washington announced readiness to deploy an aircraft carrier in the Middle East.

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin ordered the deployment of B-52 long-range bombers, destroyers and aircraft to help defend Israel and American interests in the region.

“If Iran or its proxies target American personnel or interests in the region, the United States will take all necessary measures to defend them,” Pentagon press secretary Pat Ryder said. Axios, however, quoted a US official and a former Israeli official as saying that the US had warned Iran in recent days against launching another attack on Israel and that it would not be able to restrain Israel if Tehran attacked again.

Yesterday, Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei vowed to respond to “the two enemies, America and Israel, in a crushing and harsh manner,” and said: “Be confident of that.”

In Iraq, the “Islamic Resistance” claimed responsibility for carrying out 4 drone attacks against “vital targets” in the southern Israeli city of Eilat. The Israeli army announced the interception of 3 drones launched from the east over the Red Sea.