Pentagon bolsters Mideast forces as Iraq factions threaten US troops
Shafaq News / The US Department of Defense confirmed that it has deployed additional military assets to the Middle East, as tensions escalate following the Iran-Israel conflict and renewed threats from Iran-backed Iraqi factions against American interests.
In an official response to Shafaq News, a Pentagon spokesperson explained that the move aligns with directives from US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, who ordered a reinforcement of US Central Command (CENTCOM) capabilities
— Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth (@SecDef) June 16, 2025
In a separate post, Pentagon Press Secretary Sean Parnell clarified that “US forces remain in a defensive posture,” indicating that Washington is not seeking to escalate the situation militarily at this stage.
The Pentagon declined to comment on whether direct communications had occurred with the Iraqi government to defuse threats from armed factions, or on the nature of any potential US response should its personnel or facilities come under attack in Iraq. Officials instead referred to public statements issued by senior defense leaders.
The warning signs follow explicit threats from powerful Iraqi armed groups, including Kataib Hezbollah and Harakat al-Nujaba, both of which vowed to target US positions in Iraq and Syria if Washington intervenes militarily in support of Israel.
Roughly 2,500 American troops are stationed in Iraq under a mission to advise and assist Iraqi security forces and the Global Coalition against ISIS. However, these forces have repeatedly come under rocket and drone attacks since 2020, with threats intensifying after the US assassination of Iranian commander Qassem Soleimani and Iraqi PMF leader Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis.
