Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin to visit Middle East as Iran threat builds

Lloyd Austin's visit to the region as Biden's defense secretary is intended as a signal of reassurance as Iran continues to arm and fund proxy militias throughout the region.
Austin
US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin holds a press conference at the end of a two-day meeting of NATO defense ministers in Brussels on Feb. 15, 2023. - KENZO TRIBOUILLARD/AFP via Getty Images
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Jared Szuba
@JM_Szuba

WASHINGTON — US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin will travel to the Middle East this weekend to meet with regional leaders and American troops, the Pentagon announced Tuesday.

Austin’s trip will provide an opportunity to meet with “the leaders of several key partner nations to reaffirm the enduring US commitment to the Middle East region,” Pentagon press secretary Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder told reporters during a press briefing.

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