U.S. preparing to send additional troops as fighting escalates in Middle East

As fighting between Hezbollah and Israel escalates, a Pentagon spokesperson said the U.S. would send a “small number” of additional troops to the Middle East in addition to the tens of thousands of troops already in the region.
According to Military Times, there are about 40,000 U.S. troops in the Middle East, including “at least a dozen warships and four Air Force fighter jet squadrons spread across the region,” which is a higher number than are typically in the region.
There are more troops in the region now than in April, when U.S. forces helped defend against an attack on Israel by Iran, Pentagon press secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder 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,” Ryder said. “But for operation security reasons, I’m not going to comment on or provide specifics.”
Ryder said U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin spoke with Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on both Saturday and Sunday, following the latest rocket attacks by Hezbollah on northern Israel. Hezbollah has been firing rockets at Israel since Oct. 8, the day after Hamas militants crossed over into Israel, killing more than 1,200 people and taking another 239 people hostage.
Since then, Israel has waged war against Hamas in Gaza. But in recent weeks, Israel has also stepped up its attacks on Hezbollah, striking deeper into Lebanon to go after the terrorist group’s leadership, including blowing up pagers and walkie-talkies of Hezbollah operatives.
Lebanese health authorities said 492 people were killed on Monday by Israeli Air Strikes, according to the BBC. In addition, thousands of families in Lebanon have been displaced by the fighting.
The U.S. State Department has asked American citizens to leave Lebanon “via commercial options while still available.”
President Joe Biden said Monday he has been briefed on the situation in Lebanon and Israel.
“My team has been in constant contact with their counterparts, and we’re working to deescalate in a way that allows people to return to their home safely,” Biden said, according to White House press pool reports.