By Wang Min

王  敏

The US Central Command announced at the beginning of this month that B-52 bombers from the Minot Air Force Base's 5th Bomb Wing had arrived in the Middle East. This marks the first deployment of this strategic bomber to this region since 2019, shortly after the US deployed B-2 bombers to strike Houthi forces in October this year. Analysts believe that, against the backdrop of ongoing retaliatory actions between Israel and Iran, this is akin to adding fuel to the fire and will exacerbate regional tensions.  

美国中央司令部本月月初宣布，来自迈诺特空军基地第五轰炸机联队的B-52轰炸机已抵达中东地区。这是2019年以来该型战略轰炸机第一次部署至中东，也是今年10月美军出动B-2轰炸机打击胡塞武装后，美战略轰炸机再度出现在中东。分析人士认为，在以色列与伊朗相互报复持续不断的背景下，美国此举无异于火上浇油，只会加剧地区紧张局势。

In addition to the B-52 bombers, the US will deploy additional military assets to the Middle East including destroyers, fighter squadrons, and tanker aircraft in the coming months. US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said that these actions are aimed at countering the so-called threats from Iran. On October 26, Israel launched "precise and targeted strikes" on multiple Iranian military targets. In response, Iran vowed retaliation, declaring it would not relinquish its right to respond to what it termed Israel's "aggression" against its territory. Shortly before Iran marked the 45th anniversary of the takeover of the US Embassy, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned of a "devastating response" against Israel and the US. The additional US military forces dispatched this time will complement the amphibious assault ship USS Wasp and the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit operating in the region as well as the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system deployed in Israel, further enhancing the deterrence against Iran.

根据此前公布的计划，除B-52轰炸机外，未来数月内美国还将陆续向中东地区增派包括驱逐舰、战斗机中队、空中加油机在内的军事力量。美国国防部长奥斯汀称这些动作是为了抵御所谓的伊朗威胁。10月26日，以色列对伊朗多个军事目标发动“精准和定点打击”。伊朗誓言报复，称不会放弃回应以色列对其领土“侵略”的权利。在不久前伊朗纪念占领美国大使馆45周年活动前夕，伊朗最高领袖哈梅内伊称将对以色列和美国作出“毁灭性回应”。而美国此次增派的军力，将对其在中东地区附近执行任务的“黄蜂”号两栖攻击舰和海军陆战队第24远征部队，以及在以色列部署的“萨德”反导系统等构成补充，进一步增强对伊朗慑压态势。

The increased US military presence in the Middle East also aims to address the temporary absence of a US aircraft carrier in the region. Since the latest round of the Palestine-Israel conflict last year, the US has maintained a continuous carrier presence in the Middle East, sometimes with two carriers simultaneously. However, with the departure of the USS Abraham Lincoln from the region in mid-November, there is currently no US carrier stationed there. Although some reports suggest that the USS Harry S. Truman will fill this gap, there is no confirmed arrival date for the carrier.

美国向中东增加军事部署，也有填补该地区航母空缺的考虑。自去年新一轮巴以冲突爆发以来，美国持续在中东保持航母存在，甚至一度有两艘航母同时在该地区活动。然而，随着本月中旬“林肯”号航母结束任务驶离中东，这段时间，美国在该地区暂时出现了无航母的状态。虽有报道称，“林肯”号的空缺后续将由“杜鲁门”号航母填补，但目前仍没有后者抵达时间的确定消息。

This US military buildup in the Middle East reflects, to some extent, the challenges currently faced by Israel. Israel is now engaged in prolonged multi-front operations, and its air defense systems are considered by many experts to be inadequate against the intensive missile attacks from Iran. In this context, the US has provided significant military support to Israel including the deployment of the THAAD system, the strike against Houthi forces by B-2 bombers, and the deployment of B-52 bombers in the Middle East. The US is likely to commit additional military resources to the area in the future to fully support Israel and maintain its own regional dominance.

美国向中东增兵，在一定程度折射出以色列当前所面临的困境。当前，以色列陷入旷日持久的多线作战，其防空系统也被许多专业人士认为无法有效防御来自伊朗的密集导弹袭击。这种情况下，美国向以色列提供了诸多军事支持，包括“萨德”入驻以色列，使用B-2轰炸机打击胡塞武装，派出B-52轰炸机部署中东，等等。为了给予以色列充分支持、维护自身霸权，美国未来很可能向该地区投入更多军力。

While the US publicly claims that its military buildup aims to de-escalate the situation through deterrence, facts have shown that such actions often escalate tensions instead. The current round of the Palestine-Israel conflict has increasingly spilled over to other countries. From Yemen to Syria, from Lebanon to Iran, more and more countries are influenced by the spillover effects. The increased military aid to Israel and additional forces to the Middle East by the US will encourage Israel to adopt more aggressive military measures, bringing new shocks to the regional situation.

对于此次增兵，美国对外宣称是为了以威慑手段促成局势降级。然而事实早已证明，武力慑压只会加剧紧张局势。当前，新一轮巴以冲突外溢明显，从也门到叙利亚，从黎巴嫩到伊朗，越来越多的国家被裹挟其中。美国加大对以军援、向中东地区增派兵力，只会增加以色列采取更加激进军事措施的冒险冲动，给地区形势带来新的冲击。