The U.S. Indo-Pacific Command has been ordered to ready a precision-strike demonstration aimed near the disputed Scarborough Shoal, signaling a major escalation in response to Chinese aggression.
WASHINGTON: In a significant and direct challenge to Beijing, the United States is actively preparing a major "precision-strike" demonstration in the South China Sea. According to CBS News, the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command (INDOPACOM) the U.S. military's oldest and largest combatant command has issued a combat readiness order to its forces.
The directive, which comes in response to what the U.S. calls a "dangerous escalation" of Chinese activity in the disputed waters, marks a serious shift from diplomatic protest to active military posturing.
A 'Satellite-Guided' Message
Two U.S. officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the plans publicly, revealed the operation's outlines.
The planned demonstration will reportedly involve the M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS). This satellite-guided system, famous for its pinpoint accuracy, would be used to conduct a live-fire exercise in the direction of the Scarborough Shoal.
This location is the epicenter of the current standoff. The shoal, a traditional fishing ground, is a hotly disputed territory claimed by both the Philippines and China. If deployed, this would be the most direct and confrontational military action taken by the U.S. since tensions in the South China Sea flared up again.
Defending a Treaty Ally
While the exact targets for the HIMARS drill remain classified, Washington officials have been clear about the mission's primary objective: to send an unmistakable message of deterrence to Beijing.
The operation is designed to demonstrate that the United States will not allow China to further expand its military footprint in the region. Critically, it serves as a powerful reassurance to the Philippines, a U.S. treaty ally, that America will uphold its commitments to defend its partner's sovereignty and legal fishing rights.
The Trump-Vance Doctrine in Action
The move is being widely interpreted as a clear expression of the Trump-Vance administration's hard-line foreign policy.
Analysts suggest that if this plan is executed, it will represent a fundamental shift in U.S. strategy, moving beyond freedom-of-navigation operations (FONOPs) to active, targeted deterrence. It signals a new, more confrontational era of strategic competition between Washington and Beijing and a new resolve to restore U.An-style deterrence in the Indo-Pacific.
Source: This report is based on information from Fox News and CBS News.
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