Washington, D.C. – Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin has been hospitalized and unable to carry out his duties since New Year’s Day, according to a senior defense official. The cause of his ailment remains unclear, and he remains in the hospital with no release date specified.
Austin was admitted to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center on Monday evening due to complications following an elective medical procedure, stated Pentagon Press Secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder. It was anticipated that Austin would resume his duties on Friday, but his hospitalization has continued.
During Austin’s absence, Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks has assumed his responsibilities, said the senior defense official. Meanwhile, the acting position of the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy, currently held by Sasha Baker, has taken over the third-highest civilian leadership role at the Pentagon.
The Pentagon has refrained from disclosing details about Austin’s condition, the specific procedure, or the means by which he was transported to the hospital. When questioned about the secrecy surrounding Austin’s hospitalization, Ryder cited various factors, including the Secretary’s right to privacy.
The Middle East remains gripped by heightened tensions, with ongoing conflicts and attacks in the region. Amidst Austin’s hospitalization, a controversial strike against an Iranian-backed militia member in Baghdad was carried out by the U.S., multiple attacks targeted bases housing American troops, and the Biden administration deliberated on retaliatory measures against Houthi militants responsible for attacks on ships in the Red Sea.
Furthermore, the Israel-Hamas war has intensified tensions, prompting the deployment of two U.S. carrier strike groups to the Eastern Mediterranean Sea. Iran-backed Houthis, based in Yemen, have been increasingly attacking container ships in the Red Sea due to Israel’s ongoing aggression against Palestinian communities.
As the situation escalates, the U.S. Navy has responded to these attacks. In one instance, a Navy destroyer intercepted two Houthi missiles, and in another, Navy helicopters were fired upon by Houthi rebels. In response, the Navy sank three small boats and killed their crews.
There are mounting concerns about further entanglement in the region, as Iran-backed Hezbollah militants in Lebanon engage in a munitions exchange with Israel along the northern border.
In the absence of Secretary of Defense Austin, the U.S. remains vigilant, monitoring and responding to escalating tensions in the Middle East. Austins’s hospitalization has necessitated the temporary transfer of responsibilities to other senior defense officials as the situation in the region continues to unfold.