Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin to visit Middle East as Iran threat builds
Lloyd Austin's visit to the region as Biden's defense secretary is intended as a signal of reassurance as Iran continues to arm and fund proxy militias throughout the region.
WASHINGTON — US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin will travel to the Middle East this weekend to meet with regional leaders and American troops, the Pentagon announced Tuesday.
Austin’s trip will provide an opportunity to meet with “the leaders of several key partner nations to reaffirm the enduring US commitment to the Middle East region,” Pentagon press secretary Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder told reporters during a press briefing.
Pentagon officials have yet to reveal the defense chief’s itinerary but say the trip is likely to build on Washington’s efforts to encourage Middle Eastern states to work together on regional security issues, including air defense and combined naval task forces.
Why it matters: Austin’s visit will mark his biggest tour of the region since November 2021 when he sought to reassure regional leaders in Bahrain that the Biden administration was not abandoning its ties in the Middle East, despite recent military drawdowns in Afghanistan and Iraq.
