The United States plans to maintain a significant force presence in the Middle East, including warships with ballistic missile defense capability, some of which are in the Red Sea to deter Houthi attacks against cargo vessels, US National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters in Washington on Wednesday.

“The United States does not seek conflict with any nation or actor in the Middle East, nor do we want to see the war between Israel and Hamas widen in the region,” Kirby said.

“But neither will we shrink from the task of defending ourselves, our interests, our partners, or the free flow of international commerce,” he said.

On Tuesday, he explained, US President Joe Biden spoke with Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, while US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan spoke with Israel’s Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer. On Wednesday, the US along with 12 other nations published a joint statement “condemning Houthi attacks on commercial vessels in the Red Sea and reiterating that these attacks must cease immediately,” Kirby said.

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