KELLEY BEAUCAR VLAHOS OCT 20, 2023 READ

UT NOTE: The obvious question is what is the US Govt doing in Iraq and Syria? Neither Iraq or Syria has asked the US Govt troops to be there. So, who is really increasing the tensions in the region?

The U.S. military has been quietly reacting to a spate of drone and rocket attacks against its troops in the Middle East this week, mindful that the region has become a tinderbox and the chances for the situation slipping into a wider war are growing every day.

“Right now, this conflict is contained between Israel and Hamas, and we’re going to do everything we can to ensure deterrence in the region, so that this does not become a broader” conflict, said Pentagon spokesman Brig. General Patrick Ryder to reporters on Thursday. He added that any armed U.S. response “will come at a time and a manner of our choosing.”