Testifying before the House Armed Service Committee, CENTCOM commander Kenneth McKenzie indicated that “we are in the process of bringing air defence systems, ballistic missile defence systems into Iraq – particularly to protect ourselves against another potential Iranian attack”. “Going forward, it is CENTCOM’s objective to posture forces in the region with the operational depth to achieve a consistent state of deterrence against Iran and be adaptable to future Iranian threats”, he added, further positing that Iran’s January 2020 missile strikes at Iraqi bases hosting U.S. forces “crossed a threshold compared to previous attacks and has probably set a lower bar for future actions by the regime”. McKenzie went on to assert that “while periods of decreased tension may provide the illusion of a ‎return to normalcy, ample intelligence indicates the regime’s desire to continue malign activities… So ‎long as the U.S. applies diplomatic and economic pressure, the joint force must be postured to deter ‎Iran from employing the military element of power to counter our actions”.‎