Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin directed a significant increase in U.S. military presence in the Middle East in response to escalating threats from Iran, the Pentagon announced Friday. This strategic move includes the deployment of additional troops, ships, fighter jets and enhanced land-based missile defenses. Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Sabrina Singh said the U.S. would be reinforcing its naval capabilities in the European and Central Command regions with additional ballistic missile defense-capable cruisers and destroyers, according to the New York Post. “[S]ecretary Austin has ordered a…