US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin has ordered the deployment of additional ballistic missile defence destroyers, fighter squadron and tanker aircraft, and several B-52 long-range strike bombers to the West Asia region.

Pentagon Press Secretary Major General Pat Ryder said in a statement yesterday that the deployments are in line with the US commitments to the protection of its citizens and forces in the region, the defence of Israel, and de-escalation through deterrence and diplomacy.

 He added that these movements demonstrate the flexible nature of US global defence posture and US capability to deploy world-wide on short notice to meet evolving national security threats.