US 'prepared to defend' if Iran launches attack on Soleimani's death anniversary

head of US forces in Middle East on December 20 warned that United States is “prepared to react” if Tehran launches an attack to mark first anniversary of killing of Iranian General Qasem Soleimani. While speaking to journalists in an interview, General Kenneth McKenzie, who heads US Central Command (Centcom), said that US is prepared to defend itself, its friends and partners in region. He also added that according to his assessment, US is in a “very good position” and “prepared for anything”. 

McKenzie said, “We are prepared to defend ourselves, our friends and partners in region, and we’re prepared to react of necessary”. He added, “My assessment is we are in very good position and we’ll be prepared for anything Iranians or ir proxies acting for m might choose to do”. 

US General said that he had recently visited Baghdad, where he met with head of anti-jihadist coalition, American General Paul Calvert and Iraqi army chief of staff General Abdul Amir Yarallah Centcom commander said that he had also gone to Syria to meet with American forces deployed in small sourn base at Al-Tanf, near border with Joran and Iraq. Furr, he informed that he was also touring region weeks before anniversary of January 3, 2020 killing of Soleimani by a US drone strike near Baghdad airport. 

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US bombers fly to Middle East 

Meanwhile, in a mess of deterrence to Iranian regime, US recently dispatched two US Air Force B-52H Stratofortresses bombers assigned to Barksdale Air Force Base in US Central Command in a second mission to Middle East, a senior US commander confirmed. As per reports, fighter aircraft flew to underscore America’s display of military might and its continuing commitment to Middle East, despite Trump administration’s withdrawal of military troops from  Iraq and Afghanistan.

long-range massive bombers capable of carrying nuclear weaponry flew above scas in region to deter aggression and reinstate cooperation between US partners and allies. In an official statement, US central command said that mission validates US military’s ability to deploy combat airpower anywhere in world on short tice and integrate into US Central Command operations.

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