Mossad reportedly outlined a number of scenarios in which the Iranians would attack
The U.S. Air Force is deploying massive B-52 Stratofortress bombers to the Gulf in response to an alleged possible plan by Iran to attack American forces in the region, the Pentagon said Tuesday.
Israel's Mossad intelligence agency warned the United States about a possible plot by Iran to attack U.S. interests in the Gulf before Washington announced it would send an aircraft carrier strike group and a bomber task force to the Middle East in a "clear and unmistakable" message to Iran, Israel's Channel 13 reported on Monday.
Several nuclear-capable B-52s are heading to the region along with an aircraft carrier task force following what the Defense Department called "recent and clear indications that Iranian and Iranian proxy forces were making preparations to possibly attack U.S. forces."
"The deployment of the USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group and a bomber task force are considered a prudent step in response to indications of heightened Iranian readiness to conduct offensive operations against U.S. forces and our interests," said acting Pentagon spokesman Charles Summers in a statement.
"We emphasize the White House statement that we do not seek war with the Iranian regime, but we will defend U.S. personnel, our allies and our interests in the region."
Earlier on Monday, U.S. National Security adviser John Bolton announced that "in response to a number of troubling and escalatory indications and warnings, the United States is deploying the USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group and a bomber task force to the U.S. Central Command region."
Details of the threat have not been disclosed, but Navy Captain Bill Urban, the spokesman for the U.S. military's Central Command, which spans the Middle East, said the threat could be land-based or maritime.
Channel 13 cited Israeli officials that Bolton was warned about the possible Iranian plot in a meeting with Israel's national security adviser Meir Ben Shabbat in Washington two weeks ago. The official said that Mossad outlined a number of scenarios in which the Iranians would attack.
"It is still unclear to us what the Iranians are trying to do and how they are planning to do it, but it is clear to us that the Iranian temperature is on the rise as a result of the growing U.S. pressure campaign against them, and they are considering retaliating against U.S. interests in the Gulf," the official reportedly said.
The #B_Team is at it again: From announcements of naval movements (that actually occurred last month) to dire warnings about so-called "Iranian threats".
If US and clients don't feel safe, it's because they're despised by the people of the region— blaming Iran won't reverse that. pic.twitter.com/AZmHbJKOch— Javad Zarif (@JZarif) May 7, 2019
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said later on Monday that it was "absolutely the case" that the U.S. had seen "escalatory actions" from the Iranians.
"It is equally the case that we will hold the Iranians accountable for attacks on American interests," Pompeo said.
But Iran said U.S. concerns in the Middle East stems from the fact that it is "despised by the people of the region— blaming Iran won't reverse that."
This article was originally published by i24NEWS. Read more at https://www.i24news.tv/en.
