The U.S. Department of Defense is putting additional troops on “prepare-to-deploy” status in response to the recent escalations by Iran and its proxy forces in the Middle East.

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Saturday outlined three major steps the U.S. military will take to strengthen its position in the region: redirecting naval assets, deploying missile defense systems, and issuing prepare-to-deploy orders.

“First, I redirected the movement of the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group to the Central Command area of responsibility. This carrier strike group is in addition to the USS Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group, which is currently operating in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea. It will further increase our force posture and strengthen our capabilities and ability to respond to a range of contingencies,” Austin said in a statement.

“I have also activated the deployment of a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery as well as additional Patriot battalions to locations throughout the region to increase force protection for U.S. forces.”

“Finally, I have placed an additional number of forces on prepare to deploy orders as part of prudent contingency planning, to increase their readiness and ability to quickly respond as required,” he added.

This comes days after the Pentagon announced it was preparing to send 2,000 troops to the Middle East to assist Israel’s army.

This also comes in the wake of several attacks involving U.S. military forces and its allies last week.

The Al-Asad Air Base in western Iraq on Wednesday was attacked by two drones that left U.S. troops “slightly injured.”

The Islamic Resistance in Iraq claims responsibility for the latest rocket attack on Ain Alasad Airbase, western #Iraq. pic.twitter.com/NciM55S7Jq

— Tammuz Intel (@Tammuz_Intel) October 19, 2023

That same day the U.S. also shot down three drones in northern Iraq, according to CENTCOM.

U.S. Navy warships on Thursday also intercepted three missiles and several drones in the Red Sea fired from Yemen.

“This action was a demonstration of the integrated air and missile defense architecture that we have built in the Middle East and that we are prepared to utilize whenever necessary to protect our partners and our interests in this important region. There were no casualties to U.S. forces and none that we know of to any civilians on the ground,” Pentagon press secretary Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder told reporters.