Iranian Attack Expected Amid Growing U.S. Pressure - Commander of American Mideast Forces

Amid growing American military and economic pressure on Iran, the commander of U.S. forces in the Middle East General Kenneth F. McKenzie has predicted further Iranian attacks against allied targets. These follow allegations by the U.S. and its European allies of an Iranian attack on oil facilities in Saudi Arabia in September 2019, although evidence for this remains questionable with Yemeni Ansurullah Coalition forces having taken responsibility for the strike. Speaking ahead of a major security conference in Bahrain, where the U.S. Navy’s Fifth Fleet is permanently based, the general stated regarding the reasons he expected an Iranian attack: “It’s the trajectory and the direction that they’re on... The attack on the oil fields in Saudi was stunning in the depth of its audaciousness.” The General implied that the growing American military presence in the region would likely be insufficient to deter attacks. The U.S. reportedly currently deploys over 14,000 personnel to the Middle East, while its leading allies the United Arab Emirates, Israel and Saudi Arabia can furnish several million more and deploy hundreds of billions of dollars worth of American manufactured hardware accumulated over several decades.