Top US armed forces commander lands in Jordan for unannounced trip to West Asia
Dozens of warplanes and several warships have recently been deployed to the region as part of Washington's pledge to protect Israel from Iran's retaliation
The Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, Air Force General C.Q. Brown, arrived in the Jordanian capital, Amman, on 24 August in an unannounced visit to West Asia, where he seeks to “discuss ways to avoid any new escalation in tensions that could spiral into a broader conflict,” Reuters reports.
Brown is also expected to visit Israel and Egypt "to hear the perspectives of military leaders." "At the same time, as I talk to my counterparts, what are the things we can do to deter any type of broader escalation and ensure we're taking all the appropriate steps to (avoid) ... a broader conflict," Brown told the British news outlet before he landed in Amman.
"We brought in additional capability to send a strong message to deter a broader conflict ... but also to protect our forces should they be attacked," Brown added, referencing the recent deployment of more US warships, jets, and troops to the region.
Washington's heavy militarization of the region comes as Israel awaits retaliation for their twin bombing of Beirut and Tehran late last month, which killed top Hezbollah commander Fuad Shukr and Hamas politburo chief Ismail Haniyeh.
As part of efforts to protect Israel from retaliation, Washington enlisted Cyprus, Greece, and the kingdom of Jordan as “defensive platforms” against the Axis of Resistance, Lebanese newspaper Al-Akhbar reported on 9 August.
Brown's arrival also coincides with a new round of ceasefire talks taking place in Cairo, where Hamas sent a delegation for the first time in weeks to “hear from mediators.”
“Hamas confirms its commitment to what it agreed to on July 2, based on Biden’s speech and the UN Security Council resolution,” Hamas official Izzat al-Rishq said in a statement.