The United States announced Monday that it was sending a small number of additional troops to the Middle East to growing tensions between Israel and the Lebanese group Hezbollah in Lebanon, according to the Pentagon, which did not specify the precise number of soldiers or the mission that will dedicate the deployed forces.
“Out of an abundance of caution, we are sending a small number of additional U.S. military personnel to augment our existing forces in the region,” the Air Force general said. Patrick RyderPentagon spokesman, in statements collected by Reuters.
After almost a year of war against Hamas in Gaza, Israel Its attention is now turning to its northern border, where Hezbollah has fired rockets into Israel in support of its ally Hamas. For its part, the Israeli army attacked Monday in Hezbollah in southern Lebanon, in the eastern Bekaa Valley and in the northern region, near Syria, in its most widespread attacks.
Israeli attack on southern suburbs of Lebanese capital reportedly targeted Hezbollah leader Ali Karaki head of the southern fronta security source told the news agency.
Biden appeals to diplomacy
The administration of the American president Joe Biden has attempted to contain the conflict in Gaza and has repeatedly called for a resolution of the border crisis between Israel and Lebanon. solve through diplomacyThis call for diplomacy was underlined by the Secretary of Defense of the United States, Lloyd Austinin daily calls with Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.
Experts question whether Iran would stay away if the existence of Lebanon’s Hezbollah were threatened and say U.S. troops could also find themselves in the crosshairs in the Middle East if a regional war breaks out.
In his call Sunday, Austin suggested that no outside actor should intervene in the conflict. “The Secretary of State made clear that the United States remains committed to protecting American forces and personnel and is committed to deterring any regional actor from exploiting the situation or expanding the conflict,” the Pentagon said in a statement.
These American capabilities include the American strike group Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier, fighter aircraft and air defense“We have more capabilities in the region today than we did on April 14, when Iran launched its drone and missile attack on Israel,” Ryder said.
“All of these forces combined therefore give us the ability to protect our forces if they are attacked.” Ryder referred to the Iranian attack with more than 300 missiles and drones, which caused only moderate damage in Israel thanks to interceptions by the air defenses of the United States, the United Kingdom and other allies in the region. The April 14 attacks were Iran’s first direct attack on Israel.
