“Out of an abundance of caution, we are sending a small number of additional U.S. military personnel to augment our forces already in the region,” Air Force Maj. Gen. Patrick Ryder, a Pentagon spokesman, said during a briefing with reporters.
As Israel continues its nearly year-long conflict with Hamas in Gaza, it has begun to turn its attention to its northern border, where Hezbollah has been firing rockets into Israeli territory in support of Hamas.
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In a major military response, Israel struck Hezbollah positions in southern Lebanon, the eastern Bekaa Valley and northern regions close to Syria, in its most extensive series of attacks to date. Reports indicate that an Israeli strike on Monday night targeted a senior Hezbollah leader, Ali Karaki, who oversees operations on the southern front, Reuters reported.
The Biden administration has been actively trying to limit the conflict to Gaza, advocating for a diplomatic solution to the escalating crisis on the Israel-Lebanon border. This diplomatic initiative has been reiterated by US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin in regular talks with Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.
Experts are concerned that Iran should not remain passive if Hezbollah faces significant threats, suggesting that US forces could become targets if a broader regional conflict emerges.
During a phone call on Sunday, Austin stressed that outside parties should refrain from intervening in the ongoing conflict. “The Secretary made clear that the United States remains ready to protect American forces and personnel and is determined to deter any regional actor from exploiting the situation or expanding the conflict,” the Pentagon said.
US military assets in the region include the Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier strike group, fighter aircraft and air defence systems.
“We have more capabilities in the region today than we did on April 14, when Iran carried out its drone and missile attack on Israel,” Ryder said.
Ryder stressed that the forces currently deployed offer a range of options to protect American personnel from potential attacks. Ryder referred to the April 14 incident, where more than 300 missiles and drones launched by Iran caused limited damage to Israel, thanks to successful interceptions by US and allied air defense systems. This marked Iran’s first direct attack on Israel.
With contributions from Reuters
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