The Patriots are coming back?

The United States is considering moving some of its Patriot missile batteries back to the Middle East, according to a report. The report published by Stars and Stripes says, “there are ongoing discussions about moving some Patriot missile batteries back to the Middle East.” However, “no final decision on the Patriot missiles” is taken yet; the report said adding that it would depend on “whether the US believes Iran is taking action to reduce the threat.

The administration has not detailed the threats, but US officials say one element involved Iran’s placement of missiles on small boats off its shores, triggering worries that Tehran may be preparing to attack US forces or interests in the region. The US removed Patriot missile batteries from Bahrain, Kuwait and Jordan late last year. The Patriot at Isa Air Base in southern Bahrain had been packed up by 27 October. The Patriot Shaheed at Jordan’s Shaheed Muwaffaq (Al-Asraq) Air Base had been removed by 8 October.

Kuwait army’s General Chief of staff Lt. G e n . Mohammad Al-Khuder, at that time, said the decision was an interior routine procedure and in coordination with the Kuwaiti army. Raytheon-made Patriot air and missile defence systems are designed to intercept ballistic and cruise missiles and other airborne threats. Almost 16 countries around the world are currently using the system including Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar. “It’s not clear if the batteries would go back to those countries,” the stars and Stripes report adds quoting an official who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal planning deliberations. Reports say that Iran is likely moving short-range ballistic missiles abroad boats in the Middle East, which was also one of the reasons for US decided to move an aircraft carrier strike group and B-52 bombers into the region, according to several US officials with direct knowledge of the situation.

CNN quoting US Central Command spokesperson Capt. Bill Urban said they had seen “indications that Iranian and Iranian proxy forces were making preparations to possibly attack US forces in the region.” It’s not clear if Iran could launch the missiles from the boats or if they are transporting them to be used by Iranian forces on land, the report added. The report, further said, that Pentagon is considering sending additional firepower to the region including anti-missile defence systems. The new maritime threat is also causing concern that Iranian-backed forces in Yemen could also move to threaten transit in the Red Sea. US President Donald Trump’s national security advisor John Bolton on Sunday announced the deployment of an aircraft strike group and bomber task force in a “clear and unmistakable” message to Iran that it would respond to any attack on the US or its allies.

Meanwhile, in another development, it was confirmed that American aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln has arrived in the US Fifth Fleet area of operations in the Middle East. “The aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln has also arrived in the US 5th Fleet area of operations”, Rebarich said. B-52 bombers arrived in the Middle East on Wednesday, US Department of Defense spokesperson Cmdr. Rebecca Rebarich said.