U.S. Secretary of Defense Arrives in Jordan at Kickoff Middle East Tour

U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin arrived in Jordan on Sunday at the start of a Middle East tour that also includes Israel and Egypt, aimed at demonstrating U.S. support for key allies in the region, U.S. officials said.

Speaking on Twitter before leaving, Austin wrote that he would meet with senior officials and "reaffirm the United States' commitment to regional stability and advancing the shared interests of our allies and partners."

The Pentagon said ahead of the visit that discussions would focus on strengthening multilateral security cooperation with integrated air and missile defense systems.

The department's official website quoted a senior defense official as saying the focus of the discussion would be "the entire range of threats associated with Iran..."

U.S. officials said Austin would express concerns about the escalating violence in the West Bank that has alarmed Jordan and Arab leaders.