PAT RYDER: As you know, the U.S. government to include the Department of Defense continues to closely monitor the situation in the Middle East. As you've heard, Secretary Austin say the US remains intensely focused on de-escalating tensions in the region, while also focused on securing a ceasefire as part of a hostage deal to bring all of the hostages home and to end the war in Gaza.
Yesterday, Secretary Austin spoke to Israeli Defense Minister Gallant, reiterated the United States commitment to taking every possible step to defend Israel and noted the strengthening of U.S. military force posture and capabilities throughout the Middle East in light of escalating regional tensions. Reinforcing this commitment, Secretary Austin has ordered the USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group, which is equipped with F-35C fighters to accelerate its transit to the Central Command area of responsibility, adding to the capabilities already provided by the USS Theodore Roosevelt Carrier Strike Group. Additionally, the secretary has ordered the USS Georgia guided missile submarine to the Central Command region.
Again, these U.S. military posture adjustments are designed to improve U.S. force protection, to increase support for the defense of Israel and to ensure the United States is prepared to respond to various contingencies. Also during their phone call, Secretary Austin and Minister Gallant discussed Israel's operations in Gaza and the importance of mitigating civilian harm, progress toward securing a cease fire and the release of hostages held in Gaza and our efforts to deter aggression by Iran, Lebanese Hezbollah and other Iran-aligned groups across the region.
Separately, as you're aware, on August 9th, there was an attack using a one-way attack uncrewed aerial system against U.S. and coalition forces at Rumalyn Landing Zone in Syria. The drone struck at about 5 p.m. Eastern Time late into the evening in Syria and caused damage to one set of facilities. Military officials are still assessing the damage, though they've credited swift and effective preemptive measures as limiting the drone's effect.
According to U.S. Central Command, no U.S. service members were seriously hurt in the attack. Several U.S. and coalition personnel were treated for minor injuries, including smoke inhalation. Others are being examined for traumatic brain injuries. Out of an abundance of caution, several service members were transported to a separate location for further assessment and evaluation.
Again, per CENTCOM, no injuries or life threatening. We'll continue to provide updates as appropriate. With that, I'm happy to take your questions. Tara?
Q: Thanks, Pat. The Houthi or Iranian state media is reporting that U.S. and U.K. drones struck Houthi positions. Is there anything to that?
RYDER: I've seen the press reports, I don't have anything to pass along. As you know, CENTCOM provides daily updates. So, you know, if there's something to report will certainly put it through those channels. I'm not currently tracking anything, but we'll keep you updated.
Q: Yesterday, the readout between Secretary Austin and Minister Gallant used the term accelerated. Using this term shows or tells that something could happen in the next few hours. Is this like a fair understanding of the readout?
RYDER: So, I'm not going to speculate in terms of a potential attack by Iran or any of its proxies as far as timing goes. I think the point here, Joe, is that we recognize the tensions in the region. As I mentioned, we're doing everything we can to deter aggression, deter conflict, prevent this from becoming a wider war while at the same time ensuring that we have the capabilities in the region to be able to protect our own forces, but also defend Israel should it be attacked.
But as it relates to the timing of any potential attacks. I'm just not going to speculate on that, nor am I going to get into intelligence.
Q: Are you seeing any movement?
RYDER: I'm sorry. Do you have a follow up?
Q: Another follow up, does the Pentagon agree or accept an Israeli preemptive strike against any threat, any Iranian threat or any threat from its proxies?
RYDER: Well, again, so first of all, I'm not going to speculate. I'm not going to talk about Israeli operations. Again, I think we've been very clear that what we're looking to do is de-escalate tensions, prevent a wider conflict from occurring, implement a ceasefire, get the hostages released and end the war in Gaza.
So, from a U.S. standpoint, that is our focus right now and that again per the readout was the nature of the conversation with Minister Gallant. So I'll just leave it there. Yes, sir.
Q: Are you seeing any movement on the ground by Hezbollah or Iran that indicates that they are about to make an attack or anything like this?
RYDER: Yeah, Pierre, I appreciate the question. I'm just not going to get into intelligence other than to say we're monitoring closely and doing everything we can to be prepared to support Israel should it be attacked. Nick?
Q: Um, thanks, but obviously there's a lot of submarine movements all the time. Why did you announce this one? And can you say what accelerated means when that actually might mean that the arrival of the submarine?
RYDER: I'm just going to let the readout speak for itself, but yeah. Chris?
Q: Just to clarification then on the readout. It said it would be Abraham Lincoln would add to the capabilities already in the region. The Pentagon previously said Abraham Lincoln would replace the Theodore Roosevelt. So are those two carriers going to be in CENTCOM at the same time?
RYDER: Yeah, so I'm going to give you an incredibly frustrating response as it relates to carrier strike group movements like most of our naval assets. We're just not going to talk the specifics of deployment, timelines, durations, those kinds of things. I'll just leave it there.
Q: Thank you. Uh, the readout with Minister Gallant referenced civilian casualties and concerns about them. Is that a reference specifically to the school strike? And what are you seeing there in terms of assessment?
RYDER: So, in terms of the civilian casualties, yes, they did discuss the school strike. I'm not going to go into specifics other than to say that again, we remain concerned about reports of civilian casualties and have been concerned. It continues to be a topic of discussion at every opportunity about the need to take civilian safety into account, harm mitigation into account in terms of conducting operations.
As far as that specific strike, Dan, I don't have any information that corroborates, comments on either side in terms of the numbers of civilian casualties, other than to say broadly speaking in the conflict in Gaza way too many civilians have been killed and we'll continue to reinforce to our Israeli partners that they really need to make sure they're taking Civilian harm mitigation into account.
Q: Thank you.
The sub. It was already in the Mediterranean. So was it always going to go to CENTCOM AOR and you announced it or was it not going to go to CENTCOM AOR and Austin ordered the deployment?
RYDER: Yeah, I'm not going to go beyond what we provided. We don't talk about naval deployment timelines --
Q: -- I guess this is actually a new deployment or is it an announcement of something that was going to happen anyway?
RYDER: I think the statement speaks for itself. It's been ordered into the central command.
Q: -- So just not going to go into it obviously.
OK, how many troops are currently in the CENTCOM AOR and with the force posture adjustments, what is the new number?
RYDER: I'll have to take that question, Idris. I want to say, well, I'm not going to make up numbers. I think at last count there were approximately 30,000 U.S. forces within the CENTCOM AOR. But let me take that question and come back to you. Recognizing the fact that, you know, as assets transition the region, those numbers are going to fluctuate.
But I think numbers aside, regardless we have a significant amount of capability in the region, whether that's the EUCOM/CENTCOM region for all the reasons I highlighted, to bolster U.S. force protection to support the defense of Israel, but also to have capabilities available for a wide range of contingencies with the key point being that we continue to focus very intently on de-escalating the situation and the tensions in the region.
Q: Thank you. Can you give an update on as of now how many JLOTS personnel have returned back to the U.S.?
RYDER: I know that the Seventh Transportation Brigade, some number of personnel have returned but let me take the question and we'll get back to you on that.
Q: OK. And then also given the hit on Rumalyn Landing Zone over the weekend, are you all comfortable or confident in the air defense capabilities that are in the Middle East right now, especially given the attack on al-Assad the week prior?
RYDER: So, the short answer is, you know, we have a significant amount of air defense capability. I'm not going to go into the specifics in terms of where that's located and how it's employed. Certainly we are going to continue to do everything we can to ensure that U.S. forces are protected no matter where they're serving. And so I'll just leave it there.
Liz?
Q: With the service members that were injured in the Al Assad attack, are they still being held at Landstuhl?
RYDER: In the al-Assad attack, I will have to come back to you on that. I believe so, but I don't know for sure. In fact, I would refer you to the Army to give you some info.
Q: OK. Are they all service members or U.S. personnel and contractors?
RYDER: There were a couple of contractors, but I don't know if those were the ones that were evacuated to Landstuhl. So let me take that question. We'll come back to you.
Q: A couple of cleanup questions on the Middle East. The carrier that's arriving, do we know when the carrier will hit the region without giving a specific location.
RYDER: Yes, we do.
Q: I mean, share with us? Is it safe to say in the coming days?
RYDER: Again, we don't get into the specifics on the deployment timeline. When it's in the AOR, you know, I'm sure CENTCOM will provide an update.
Q: OK, and then the last cleanup question, earlier, sometimes you guys say that there will be future announcements, should we expect any additional announcements of arrivals into the CENTCOM region?
RYDER: I don't have anything to announce right now, but if we do, definitely keep you posted.
Q: OK. And then just unrelated to the Middle East, completely unrelated with the war going on between Russia and Ukraine, does the Pentagon feel that Ukraine is still within its bounds of using U.S. weapons? Have they gone out of bounds?
RYDER: So far, I would say that we assess that they're within the policy boundaries that we've set those policies haven't changed as it relates to in particular to use of U.S. weapons. I know that you know the logical follow on question on this is why is Ukraine doing this? What are they trying to achieve? Again, I'd refer you to Ukraine on that. We are in contact with them and when we have more to provide, we certainly will. But to answer your question, yes.
Q: Thank you. And the last question. Sorry, one for my North Korean service.
RYDER: I'll come back. OK.
Q: Thanks, Pat. At the risk of sounding like a broken record, what we saw last night was all about messaging saying you have to speed up an aircraft carrier. Even acknowledge the existence of a submarine, is that a message to the Iranians? Are you trying to influence their decision making? What was with the urgency of delivering the message as it was delivered last night?
RYDER: Well, it's not the first time that we've highlighted submarine capabilities in various regions of the world. So that certainly in itself is not unprecedented. But, you know, look, are we trying to send a message? Absolutely, we're trying to send a message which is we're looking to de-escalate the situation, that we're looking to have capabilities in the region to protect our forces while also support the defense of Israel.
We do not want to see this, you know, broaden into a wider regional conflict. And so those capabilities bring real capacity for the U.S. to support all of those objectives. And so however you want to interpret it, whether it's messaging or providing additional capabilities, I think the answer is yes on all accounts as it always has been.
Q: But was there something in the calculus that triggered that decision to make those announcements?
RYDER: Well, I think what I said at the top, right, which is again, we continue to remain intently focused on de-escalating tensions in the region while also making sure that we have capabilities and capacity to support the defense of Israel and protect our forces, right.
Q: Thank you. Back to the one-way attack drone on August 9th, you said y'all are still assessing who's the lead on that? When can we expect more information on that assessment? Can you tell us a little bit more about the drone itself, its origin and the type it was? And then separately are you guys considering adding more air defense or ISR capabilities to that area?
RYDER: So as far as who's assessing - U.S. Central Command, so I'd refer you to them for any questions. As far as force protection, air defense - don't have anything specific to provide other than to say, as a matter of course, commanders are always assessing the situation. Always looking at how we can make sure that we're protecting our forces and most importantly conducting our mission, so that's just you know part of what we would do.
Q: And then as the Defense Intelligence Agency also involved in this assessment? I know sometimes they'll do follow -up reports on the types of drones it was so.
RYDER: I mean, I don't have anything specific to provide on DIA other than to say you know that the DIA is a central aspect of what we do globally in terms of intelligence. But I don't have anything specific on that.
Time for a couple more. Yes, sir.
Q: Just a follow-up question, procedural question on Idris's second one. Do we have an estimate of how many U.S. forces are still in Iraq and Syria as part of the OIR or otherwise? Is it still 900 in Syria up from 2,500?
RYDER: Yeah, no changes to my knowledge, yeah.
Q: Quick one, did you say how many U.S. service members were transported to ?
RYDER: I did not.
Q: How many?
RYDER: I don't have those numbers provided. Again, as I highlighted several and as those evaluations are ongoing, you know, numbers can fluctuate and change, but I keep it at several right now. OK. Last two, we'll go to Mike and then Carla.
Q: President Zelensky has officially confirmed this incursion of Ukraine into Russia. Was the United States made aware of it beforehand or is America consulting with them or in discussion with them at any point as part of this particular mission they're on?
RYDER: Yeah, no, they did not inform us in advance and yes, we are in consultation, you know, discussing this with them. I don't have any readouts to provide in that regard.
Q: But in general?
RYDER: But in general, no, it was not something that they
Q: But I mean, but in general, the U.S. is discussing this latest operation?
RYDER: Correct.
Q: OK.
RYDER: And last question.
Q: Last question. So according to Russian and North Korean media, the North Koreans are sending a military delegation to Moscow this week for a technical forum. Are you concerned about what could come from this? Is this a sign that there's even further increased cooperation since the invasion into Ukraine? What is your assessment?
RYDER: I mean, as it relates to a particular meeting, I don't have a comment to provide. Broadly speaking, you know, the relationship between Russia and North Korea continues to be a concern, particularly as it relates to North Korean support for Russia's war in Ukraine. And so that's something that we'll continue to keep a very close eye on for all the reasons that we stated.
All right, thanks very much everybody. Have a great day.
