The United States is strengthening the fleet and air defense in the Middle East

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, after speaking with President Joe Biden, ordered an increase in regional deterrence efforts to help protect Israel.

The press service of the Pentagon writes about it.

The USS Dwight D. Eisenhower aircraft carrier strike group is being redirected to the eastern Mediterranean Sea to join the previously deployed USS Gerald R. Ford.

Also, Lloyd Austin activated the deployment of the THAAD anti-missile complex battery and additional Patriot systems at the locations of the US military throughout the region.

The head of the Pentagon and the US president held the conversation against the background of "recent escalation by Iran and its proxy [puppet] forces in the Middle East region."

• On the night of October 19 , drones and missiles attacked US military bases in Iraq. This is the fourth attack in the past week on Iraqi military bases where American troops are stationed. Before that, Iraqi armed groups linked to Iran threatened to attack US bases if Washington intervened and supported Israel in the fight against Hamas.
• Israel continues to prepare for a ground operation in the Gaza Strip. Bloomberg and The Wall Street Journal wrote that the US and EU countries asked Israel to postpone a ground operation in the Gaza Strip in order to negotiate the release of people who were taken hostage by Hamas militants during the attack on Israel. The country allegedly agreed to wait under pressure.
• According to the IDF, at least 210 people are being held captive by Hamas. On October 20, Hamas released the first two hostages — a mother and daughter, US citizens.
• As of October 21, 4,385 people have been killed and at least 13,560 wounded in the Gaza Strip. These are data from the Ministry of Health controlled by Hamas. The Israeli side claims 1,400 dead of its citizens.