The US dispatched a series of fighter jets, declaring that it would not tolerate any attempt to prevent Israel-Iran from escalating tensions.

F/A-18E fighter jet on the US aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt. (Source: USINDOPACOM)

According to the AP news agency, F/A-18 aircraft and an E-2D Hawkeye surveillance plane took off from the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt in the Gulf of Oman and headed to an undisclosed base.

The deployment of the US Navy jets on land is expected to be temporary as a squadron of about 10 US Air Force F-22 fighters is en route from an Alaskan military base in the next few days. The length of their stay will depend on the situation, the source said.

Earlier, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin ordered an increase in the US military presence in the Middle East due to concerns about escalating violence following the killings of a senior Hezbollah commander in Lebanon and a top Hamas political leader in Iran last week.

The move is part of the US Department of Defense's efforts to protect its military and Israel from potential attacks by Iran and its proxy forces.

On the same day, August 6, Mr. Austin said that the US will "not tolerate" attacks on its military in the Middle East, after a rocket attack on the Ain al-Assad base in western Iraq injured seven US soldiers on August 5.

A Pentagon statement on a phone call between Secretary Austin and his Israeli counterpart Yoav Gallant described the missile attack as "an attack by an Iranian-aligned militia on US forces" that marked a "dangerous escalation".

Meanwhile, also on August 6, speaking to the press, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken emphasized that both Iran and Israel should avoid escalating conflicts in the Middle East and that Washington is "making every effort to reduce tensions and prevent the conflict from spreading."

"This conflict should not be escalated. We have engaged in robust diplomacy with our allies and partners, communicating that message directly to Iran and Israel. Everyone in the region should understand that further attacks only prolong conflict, instability, and insecurity," the diplomat said.

In addition, according to Mr. Blinken, the US commitment to Israel's security is absolute and Washington will continue to protect its ally.