US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said on Sunday that the United States is strengthening its presence in the Middle East due to the risk of escalating attacks on American forces.

“What we see is the potential for a significant escalation in attacks on our forces and our people throughout the region, and for this reason, we will do what is necessary to ensure the security of our forces in these locations and that they are protected,” Austin said on ABC’s “This Week” program. “And we have the ability to respond.”

He also said that strengthening the military presence in the region "will send another message to those who seek to expand this conflict." In response to potential attacks from Hezbollah in Lebanon and from Iran, the administration has told any other groups seeking to participate to “do not.”

“If any group or any country is looking to expand this conflict and take advantage of this very unfortunate situation that we are seeing,” Austin threatened, “our advice is don’t do it.” He added: "We reserve the right to defend ourselves and will not hesitate to take appropriate action."

The United States announced plans to bolster its military presence in the Middle East as an act of deterrence amid ongoing fighting between Israel and the Hamas militant group on Saturday. Austin said in the announcement that he had redirected the Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group to join the Ford Carrier Strike Group, currently stationed in the eastern Mediterranean.

It is noteworthy that what Bassam refers to as the “strike group” of any aircraft carrier consists of 12 other warships in addition to the carrier itself, which makes the total of US naval vessels for the two stationed carriers 26 pieces, including hundreds of combat warplanes.

Austin had said on Saturday that the United States would deploy a “High-Altitude Peripheral Area Defense Battery” in addition to “Patriot battalions” that would “increase force protection for American forces.” He also said he ordered more troops to be sent to prepare for deployment orders.

The United States pledged to support Israel in its war, which it has been waging with unusual ferocity against the besieged Gaza Strip since October 7, which has claimed the lives of 4,700 Palestinian citizens, most of them civilians, half of whom are children, and left at least 15,000 wounded and destroyed more than 40% of the Strip.