[1/3] A U.S army soldier stands with his weapon at a military base in the Makhmour area near Mosul during an operation to attack Islamic State militants in Mosul, Iraq, October 18, 2016.
A U.S. military official, speaking on condition of anonymity, did not specifically say what might trigger the evacuation of U.S. military families, who are deployed to Middle East locations including Bahrain, home to the U.S. Navy's Fifth Fleet.
Senior Biden administration officials including Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin have warned of the risk of major escalation in attacks on American troops in the Middle East and that Iran could seek to widen the Israel-Hamas war.
Austin has ordered new air defenses to the Middle East to safeguard troops, including a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system.
Iranian security officials told Reuters Iran's strategy was for Middle East proxies like Hezbollah to pursue limited strikes on Israeli and U.S. targets but to avoid a major escalation that would draw in Tehran.
Persons:
Alaa, Michael, Erik, Kurilla, Asad, Lloyd Austin, Austin, John Kirby, Kirby, Phil Stewart, Chizu
Organizations:
Islamic, REUTERS, Rights, U.S, Reuters, U.S . Army, U.S . Central Command, American, Navy's, Senior Biden, Defense, Pentagon, Area Defense, United, Thomson
Locations:
U.S, Makhmour, Mosul, Iraq, Iran, Syria, Israel, Gaza, Yemen, Iranian, Middle East, Bahrain, United States, Tehran