US sends more warships, jets to region as Iran vows 'severe' response

Washington preparing for Tehran's revenge following Israel's killing of Hamas leader

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The US military will deploy additional fighter jets and warships to the Middle East, the Pentagon said on Aug 2, as Washington seeks to bolster defences following threats to Israel from Iran and its allies Hamas and Hezbollah.

The United States is braced for Iran to make good on its vow to respond to the killing of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh on July 31 in Tehran.

US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin has approved sending an additional squadron of F-22 fighter jets, an unspecified number of additional navy cruisers and destroyers capable of intercepting ballistic missiles and, if needed, more landbased ballistic-missile defence systems.

To maintain the presence of an aircraft carrier and its accompanying warships in the Middle East, Mr Austin also directed the Abraham Lincoln, now in the eastern Pacific, to relieve the Theodore Roosevelt in the next few weeks, when the latter aircraft carrier is scheduled to return to the US.

Meanwhile, an anxious calm hung over Israel as the country braced itself for how Iran would retaliate.

Local officials in Israel have urged residents to prepare food and water in fortified safe rooms.