(LibertyInsider.org) – A White House official is once again sounding the alarm about Iran’s support for groups who carry out attacks on US forces in the Middle East. On November 7, National Security Council Coordinator John Kirby told “CNN This Morning” co-host Phil Mattingly that the Iranian regime was serving as a “destabilizing actor” in the region.
Kirby acknowledged that Iran’s forces had yet to directly attack any US assets, bases, or troops. However, the White House is growing increasingly concerned about the Iranian regime’s potential to interfere with conflict in the region by showing support for well-known militant organizations. “They support groups like Hamas and Hezbollah,” he explained.
Noting attacks on US troops in recent weeks, Mattingly asked the NSC coordinator if he could say whether the increasing hostilities might eventually trigger an expanded conflict in the Middle East. Kirby stopped shy of making a specific prediction but did highlight recent attempts at posturing and retaliation. He said the military would continue to monitor the situation and engage in stronger shows of force if necessary.
It’s important to note that Kirby’s concerns aren’t new. The retired admiral shared similar sentiments during a White House press briefing on October 23. He emphasized the IRGC’s links to the region’s militant factions, warning that they shared a “very direct connection.”
What Kirby refers to as “Iranian proxy forces” have been launching attacks on US troops and bases in the Middle East for some time now. In fact, a US Central Command spokesperson told NBC News that at least two dozen soldiers suffered injuries in the wake of a multi-pronged drone attack against Al Asad Airbase and Al-Tanf Garrison on October 18.
Pentagon Press Secretary Air Force Brigadier General Pat Ryder confirmed the military was monitoring a rapid escalation of targeted hostilities during an earlier briefing. He, too, warned that the organizations attacking US forces and personnel were doing so at the behest of the “Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and the Iranian regime.
Ryder said the Department of Defense was already in the process of mobilizing resources to address the crisis at the time. It deployed the formidable USS Dwight D. Eisenhower carrier strike group to CENTCOM and strategically repositioned defense units and missile battalions to the region from Fort Bliss, Fort Liberty, and Fort Hill.
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