US sending more troops to the Middle East amid increasing violence between Israel and Hezbollah
U.S. sends more troops amid Middle East conflict
Pentagon Press Secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said, "In light of increased tension in the Middle East and out of an abundance of caution, we are sending a small number of additional U.S. military personnel forward to augment our forces that are already in the region. But for operational security reasons, I’m not going to comment on or provide specifics." Currently, there are 40,000 U.S. troops in the Middle East.
WASHINGTON - The United States is sending a "small number" of additional troops to the Middle East in response to a spike in violence between Israel and Hezbollah forces in Lebanon, the Pentagon said Monday.
"In light of increased tension in the Middle East and out of an abundance of caution, we are sending a small number of additional U.S. military personnel forward to augment our forces that are already in the region," Pentagon press secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder told reporters. "But for operational security reasons, I’m not going to comment on or provide specifics."
Ryder did not provide further details on how many additional forces there would be or what they would be tasked to do. The U.S. currently has about 40,000 troops in the region.
On Monday, the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman, two Navy destroyers and a cruiser set sail from Norfolk, Virginia, headed to the Sixth Fleet area in Europe on a regularly scheduled deployment.
The announcement comes following significant strikes by Israeli forces against targets in Lebanon that have killed hundreds and as Israel is preparing to conduct further operations.
Smoke billows from a site targeted by Israeli shelling in the southern Lebanese village of Zaita on September 23, 2024. (Credit: MAHMOUD ZAYYAT/AFP via Getty Images)
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday warned Lebanese civilians in a videotaped message to evacuate their homes ahead of further airstrikes. He spoke as Israeli warplanes continued to strike alleged Hezbollah targets in southern and eastern Lebanon.
The U.S. has "concrete ideas" for restoring calm along the Israel-Lebanon border that it will present to allies and partners this week on the sidelines of the annual U.N. General Assembly gathering of world leaders, a senior State Department official said Monday.
The official, who spoke to reporters on condition of anonymity to The Associated Press to discuss the private diplomatic efforts, said the U.S. and numerous other countries were eager to present an "off-ramp" for both Israel and Hezbollah to reduce tensions and prevent an all-out war.
The official would not detail what the "concrete ideas" are because he said they had yet to be presented to allies and partners for what he termed a "stress test" for their likelihood of success.
Gaza's militant Hamas rulers carried out the worst-ever attack on Israel last October, sparking a conflict that has drawn Hezbollah and other Iran-backed groups around the region into the violence.
The State Department also warned Americans to leave Lebanon as the risk of a regional war increases.
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"Due to the unpredictable nature of ongoing conflict between Hezbollah and Israel and recent explosions throughout Lebanon, including Beirut, the U.S. Embassy urges U.S. citizens to depart Lebanon while commercial options still remain available," the State Department cautioned Saturday. Ryder would not say if those additional forces might support the evacuation of those citizens if needed.
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin held back-to-back calls with Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant over the weekend as he pressed for a cease-fire and a reduction of tensions in the region, Ryder said.
"Given the tensions, given the escalation, as I highlighted, there is the potential for a wider regional conflict. I don’t think we’re there yet, but it’s a dangerous, situation," Ryder said.