NNA - The chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, CQ Brown, began an unannounced visit to the Middle East on Saturday to discuss ways to avoid a further escalation of tensions, as the region is on alert for a threatened Iranian attack on Israel.

Brown began his trip in Jordan and said he would also travel to Egypt and Israel in the coming days to hear from military leaders.

His visit comes as the United States tries to broker a ceasefire in exchange for the release of prisoners in Gaza and Israel. No deal is in sight, but Brown said reaching one would “help de-escalate tensions.”

“At the same time, I’m looking with my counterparts at what we can do to prevent any kind of escalation and to make sure that we’re taking all the appropriate steps to avoid a broader conflict,” Brown told Reuters before landing in Jordan.

“We’ve strengthened our capabilities (in the region) to send a strong deterrent message to prevent a wider conflict … and also to protect our forces if they are attacked,” Brown said, adding that protecting US forces was “critical.”

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