US to deploy additional forces as Iran vows revenge on Israel

The United States will deploy additional fighter jets and Navy ships to West Asia in order to defend Israel, the US Department of Defence said.

Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Sabrina Singh on Friday said that the deployment will be in response to threats from Iran and Iranian-backed militias.

Washington, DC is also taking steps to increase its readiness to deploy more land-based ballistic missile defence, Pentagon said.

US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin 'has ordered additional ballistic missile defence-capable cruisers and destroyers to the US European Command and US Central Command regions', a statement from the US Department of Defence (DOD) read.

The Pentagon is also taking steps to increase our [US] readiness to deploy additional land-based ballistic missile defence.

The US defence chief has ordered more fighters to West Asia, the Pentagon added.

Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Singh said on Friday that the commitment for more defence capabilities in the region comes from conversations on Friday night between President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

"This morning, Secretary of the Defence Lloyd J. Austin III followed up on those conversations with Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant," she said.

Austin pledged additional support to Israel during a call with Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant.

"The secretary reiterated ironclad support for Israel's security and informed the minister of additional measures to include ongoing and future defensive force posture changes that the department will take to support the defence of Israel," Pentagon spokesperson Singh said during a briefing.

The move comes as the US anticipates potential retaliation from Iran over the recent killing of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran amidst the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas.

Tehran and its proxies have vowed revenge for the killing of Haiyeh and a top Hezbollah commander, Fouad Shukur, in Lebanon.

The world will see 'extraordinary scenes': Iranian state TV

An Iranian state TV anchor on Saturday said that the world will witness 'extraordinary scenes' in the coming hours, as reported by Iran International English, an Iran-based news channel.

"In coming hours, the world will witness extraordinary scenes and very important developments," the reporter said in the local language.

In a post on X, Iran International English stated, 'In coming hours, the world will witness extraordinary scenes and very important developments', an Iranian state TV anchor said in a live program focused on Tehran's retaliation against Israel over the assassination of Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran.