A Pentagon spokesperson said on Sept. 23 that the United States is sending more troops to the Middle East as the conflict between Israel and the Hezbollah terrorist group in Lebanon escalates.
Citing “increased tensions“ in the region, Department of Defense press secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said that ”out of an abundance of caution,“ a ”small number” of additional troops would be sent, although he declined to say exactly how many, where they would be stationed, and what they would be tasked with.
Currently, the United States has about 40,000 troops in the region, some of whom have been supporting freedom of navigation in the Red Sea.
“It was determined this system presented an imminent threat to U.S. and coalition forces, and merchant vessels in the region,” the latest CENTCOM update states. “This action was taken to protect freedom of navigation and make international waters safer and more secure for U.S., coalition, and merchant vessels.”
The Pentagon’s announcement to beef up troop numbers occurs amid rising tensions between Israel and Hezbollah, with both sides appearing to be on the verge of an all-out war.
The cross-border conflict between Israel and Hezbollah sharply escalated last week after thousands of pagers and walkie-talkies used by Hezbollah members exploded.
Tensions escalated further after an Israeli airstrike on a suburb in Beirut on Sept. 20 killed a senior Hezbollah commander.
Following the Israeli strike that eliminated Aqil, Hezbollah’s deputy chief, Naim Qassem, said at a funeral on Sept. 22 that the conflict had entered a “new phase, the title of which is the open-ended battle of reckoning.”
Hezbollah then fired rockets deep into northern Israel on Sept. 22, with the Israeli military countering that with its most widespread wave of air strikes on Sept. 23 against Hezbollah targets.
Lebanon’s health ministry said on Sept. 23 that the Israeli strikes killed hundreds of people, including women, children, and medical workers.
Israeli military spokesperson Daniel Hagari said in a video statement on Sept. 23 that Lebanese civilians should flee “immediately” from Hezbollah posts, such as those used to store weapons.
“This is an advance warning for your own safety and the safety of your family,” he said.
“I have a message for the people of Lebanon: Israel’s war is not with you. It’s with Hezbollah,” he said.
“For too long, Hezbollah has been using you as human shields. It placed rockets in your living rooms and missiles in your garage. Those rockets and missiles are aimed directly at our cities, directly at our citizens. To defend our people against Hezbollah strikes, we must take out those weapons.”
“I urge you—take this warning seriously. Please, get out of harm’s way now,” Netanyahu added.
“Once our operation is finished, you can come back safely to your homes.”
