The situation in the Middle East and Africa has changed dramatically over the past year, and the Department of Defense has moved with speed and agility to address challenges in these vital areas, said Celeste Wallander, the assistant secretary of defense for international security. testimony today before the Armed Forces Committee of the Parliament.
“The world has changed significantly since witnessing our stand in 2023,” Wallander said. “Crisis is multiplying in both US Centcom and US Africom [areas of operation] have created a level of volatility not seen in years.”
Testifying alongside Army Gen. Michael “Erik” Kurilla, commander of U.S. Central Command, and Marine Corps Gen. Michael E. Langley, commander of U.S. Africa Command, Wallander said the National Defense Strategy continues to guide the actions in both these areas responsibility.
“DOD applies the principles of partnership, deterrence, diplomacy, integration and values as it works to strengthen integrated deterrence, reduce conflict and promote stability,” he said. “A strong, principled, adaptive U.S. military remains a central pillar for U.S. leadership in the world while supporting a stable and open international system.”
Coping with the changed circumstances in both militant commands is key to navigating between war and peace in the regions, Wallander said.
“Sustainable security is based on expanding regional security structures, alliances and partnerships, and integrating our partners with each other, as well as the United States,” Wallander said. “Respect for fundamental freedoms and human rights broadens sustainability in our security partnerships. As we take decisive action to address threats and challenges today in US Africom and US Centcom [areas of operations]we continue to stand with our partners and allies to win what we see as the coalition competition that is becoming increasingly critical to our shared security.”
The actions of others – Russia in Ukraine and China’s efforts to increase its footprint in the regions – must also be taken into account, he said.
The Middle East is facing many crises, Wallander said. “Hamas brutally killed 1,200 Israelis on October 7 and continues to hold approximately 130 Americans and Israelis hostage,” he said. “We are concerned about the significant loss of life throughout the ensuing conflict. Israel has an obligation to protect civilians and uphold international humanitarian law.”
Wallander also said the region is under attack from malicious actors across the region. Chief among these is Iran, which is cynically working to exploit the conflict in Gaza to advance its own interests. Iranian-backed militias are working from Lebanon, Syria, Iraq and Yemen to destroy any sense of security in the region, he said.
The Houthis in Yemen have fired on merchant ships and warships in the Red Sea, seeking to disrupt international trade.
“In the midst of these crises, the Department of Defense is rising to the occasion to defend the nation’s values and interests across the region,” Wallander said. “Significant US aid to Israel is aimed at ensuring that what happened on October 7 can never happen again.”
At the same time, the United States continues to emphasize with Israel “the importance of obligations related to mitigating civilian casualties and conflict risks to civilians during Israel’s operations against Hamas,” Wallander said.
DOD also continues to hold Iran and its terrorist proxies responsible for attacks on US and coalition forces. “We do not seek conflict in the Middle East, but attacks against American forces will not be tolerated,” he said. “We remain steadfast and ready to use all means necessary to deter a nuclear-armed Iran while working to counter Iran’s destabilizing activities.”
On the African continent there are other problems. “African partnerships are critical for the Department of Defense to maintain its technological edge, achieve its geopolitical and strategic objectives, and strengthen our future,” Wallander said. “Despite Africa’s limitless potential, threats such as political instability, democratic backsliding and the presence of violent extremist organizations are the focus of DOD’s efforts.”
Langley, the Africom commander, said Africa was feeling the effects of global events ranging from Russia’s war in Ukraine to Houthi attacks in the Red Sea. These events “directly affect the lives of millions of Africans,” he said. “Terrorism, poverty, food insecurity, climate change and mass migration have destroyed the lives of Africans. These factors have sown the seeds of violent extremism and Russian exploitation across entire regions of the continent.”
Challenges to democratic governance and order are endemic in the Sahel, he said, and this complicates relations with key partners. Africom prides itself on its interagency approach to Africa, and the general said he is relying on that to help the administration stay engaged on the continent to safeguard U.S. interests.
But that requires resources, and Langley tapped Congress to provide the State Department and the US Agency for International Development to get “the resources they need to guarantee our combined success,” he said. “In Africa, moderate investment and resources go a long way in advancing national security interests. Africa faces many challenges, but [it] offers even more opportunities.”
Kurilla, commander of Centcom, drew the contrast between the situation last year and today. “As I sat here just a year ago, the region was on the brink of incredible, unprecedented and transformative progress,” he told the committee. “Today, the central region faces the most volatile security situation in the last half century.”
Hamas’ attack on Israel on October 7 “not only permanently changed Israel and Gaza, but created the conditions for malign actors to sow instability throughout the region and beyond,” he said. “Iran seized what they saw as a once-in-a-generation opportunity to reshape the Middle East to its advantage. Iran has worked for decades to surround the region with its proxies. And in the last six months, we’ve seen every proxy and Iranian Threat Network Operating in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Gaza, West Bank and Yemen.”
The Houthi attacks on US warships and international shipping in the Red Sea, combined with strikes by Iran-allied militia against US forces in Iraq and Syria, are a direct result of a gradually spreading Iranian threat, Kurilla said. “Violent extremist organizations also seized this opportunity,” he said.
The general said that the Islamic State is using the chaos to try to reconstitute and “the risk of an attack coming from Afghanistan is increasing. I appreciate that ISIS-Khorasan retains the ability and the will to attack us and Western interests abroad in just six months with little to no warning.”