The US is deploying more troops amid Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon.
Meanwhile, the IDF is preparing for the "next phase" of its military campaign against Hezbollah.
The U.S. is deploying "a small number" of additional troops to the Middle East after Israel launched a large-scale military operation against Lebanon, described as the deadliest since the 2006 Israel-Hezbollah war.
Pentagon spokesman Major General Pat Ryder announced the move on September 23 (local time) but declined to provide further details about the number or mission of the US troops.
Ryder stated: "Given the heightened tensions in the Middle East and with the utmost caution, we will be sending a small additional number of U.S. troops to bolster our already present forces in the region. But for the security of the operation, I will not comment or provide further details."
Currently, the United States has approximately 40,000 troops stationed in the Middle East, along with several warships and aircraft carriers of its Navy, including the USS Harry S. Truman and USS Abraham Lincoln. These assets are strategically deployed in various locations to better respond to any potential attack on both Israel and U.S. interests in the region.
Months of tension between Israel and Hezbollah escalated last week when thousands of pagers and other communication devices used by Hezbollah exploded simultaneously, killing at least 37 people and injuring around 3,000, including children. On September 20, Israeli jets bombed Beirut, killing Ibrahim Aqil, a senior Hezbollah commander. Hezbollah retaliated by launching dozens of rockets into Israel and declared an "endless battle for revenge" on September 22.
On September 23, Israel launched a large-scale military operation against Hezbollah, known as "Operation Northern Arrow," in which the IDF claimed to have struck "approximately 1,600 Hezbollah terrorist targets" in multiple waves of attacks in southern Lebanon and the Bekaa Valley.
Israeli Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi stated earlier this week: "We are attacking targets and preparing for the next phases, which I will detail briefly. Essentially, we are targeting the combat infrastructure that Hezbollah has built over the past 20 years. This is very important."
According to the latest figures from the Lebanese Ministry of Health, by the end of the day, Israeli airstrikes had killed at least 492 people – including 35 children and 58 women – and injured 1,645 others.
US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin had numerous calls with his Israeli counterpart, Yoav Gallant, over the weekend, while the US Embassy in Lebanon warned American citizens to leave the country.
Meanwhile, a senior, unnamed US State Department official told media outlets on September 23 that the US is seeking a political "way out" for both Israel and Hezbollah to de-escalate tensions and prevent a full-scale war. The US is reportedly planning to discuss its "concrete ideas" for restoring peace with allies and partners on the sidelines of the annual United Nations General Assembly.
