Pentagon Chief Concerned About Threats to US Troops in Middle East

Top officials expressed concern about an escalation of the Israel–Hamas conflict across the broader Middle East.

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Secretary of State Antony Blinken participate in the Peace, Security, and Governance Forum during the U.S.–Africa Leaders Summit in Washington on Dec. 13, 2022. Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images

Top U.S. officials see the prospect of a significant escalation in attacks on U.S. troops in the Middle East and of Iran seeking to widen the Israel–Hamas war, the top U.S. diplomat and defense officials said on Oct. 22.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said on Oct. 22 that the United States doesn’t want to see the conflict spread and that recent U.S. deployments to the region were designed to prevent that from occurring.