Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Air Force Gen. CQ Brown, Jr.  . (Credit: U.S. Airforce)

By Gary  Raynaldo    –   DIPLOMATIC  TIMES

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Air Force Gen. CQ Brown, Jr. arrived this weekend on an unannounced visit to the Middle East to hold discussions with key officials to deter a regional war amid rising tensions between Israel and Iran.

“Over the next few days, the Chairman will visit key allies and partners in the region, Egypt, Jordan and Israel, as a display of the long-term U.S. commitment to the Middle East and to further his understanding of the various perspectives of on-going tensions,” Brown’s office said in a statement issued Saturday.  “In each country, the Chairman is scheduled to meet with his counterparts and other officials for discussions. Gen. Brown will continue to stress the importance of deterring further escalation of hostilities, protecting U.S. forces in the region,” the statement added.

Air Force Gen. CQ Brown, Jr., chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, meets with Maj. Gen. Yousef Al-Hnaity, Jordanian chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, in Amman, Jordan, Aug. 24, 2024. (Credit: Navy Chief Petty Officer James Mullen, DOD)

The U.S. has beefed up its military presence in the region in response to the heightened tensions. Earlier this month, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin sent a guided missile submarine to the Middle East and accelerated transit of the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier strike group to the region.