Gen. Charles Q. Brown, chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, arrived Saturday on an unannounced visit to the Middle East in a bid to prevent a regional war between Israel and Iran.
The U.S. Air Force general landed in Jordan ahead of visits to Egypt and Israel in the coming days.
He is expected to meet with Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi.
Brown said Saturday that Washington was closely monitoring Iranian military deployments and he would discuss with his counterparts “the things we can do to deter any type of broader escalation.
“We brought in additional capability to send a strong message to deter a broader conflict … but also to protect our forces should they be attacked,” Brown said.
Safeguarding American forces stationed in the region is “paramount,” added the general.
The visit comes as the Biden administration is mediating talks for a ceasefire-and-terrorists-release-for-hostages deal between Israel and Hamas, which Brown said would “help bring down the temperature” in the region.
Last week, Iranian officials signaled that a direct attack on Israel may not be imminent, nearly a month after the targeted killing in Tehran of Hamas terrorist chief Ismail Haniyeh.
Despite Jerusalem not claiming responsibility, the Islamic Republic vowed to avenge the assassination on in its soil with a strong response against Israel.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has also suggested that an attack might not be coming in the near future. “Time is at our disposal,” Brig. Gen. Ali Mohammad Naeini, the IRGC spokesman, said on Tuesday.
Iran’s mission to the United Nations suggested that an Iranian attack could take place in a different manner than what is expected.
In April, Iran launched some 300 missiles and drones in the first-ever direct attack against the Jewish state.
