The US increases the readiness of troops out of concern about the expansion of the conflict in the Middle East

2024-09-29 22:55:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

The US increases the readiness of troops out of concern about the expansion of

The US military said on Sunday it was increasing its air support capabilities in the Middle East and placing additional troops on standby for possible deployment to the region, as it warned Iran against escalating the conflict.

The announcement came two days after President Joe Biden directed the Pentagon to realign US forces in the Middle East amid growing concerns that Israel's killing of the leader of Iran-backed Hezbollah could trigger retaliatory reactions from Tehran.

"The United States is determined to deter Iran and Tehran-backed groups from exploiting the current situation or attempting to escalate the conflict," Pentagon spokesman Maj. Gen. Patrick Ryder said in a statement.

He also warned that if Iran or groups backed by Tehran "use this moment to target American personnel or American interests in the region, the United States will take whatever measures are necessary to protect our people."

The Pentagon statement offered little detail on the level of support it will provide in support of air operations in the Middle East, saying only that "we will further strengthen our air defense capabilities in the coming days."

Israel struck more targets in Lebanon on Sunday, increasing pressure on Hezbollah with fresh strikes after the group's leader, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, and a number of other top commanders were killed.

The attacks dealt a major blow to Hezbollah after nearly a year of cross-border fighting, killing most of its leadership and exposing weaknesses in its security measures. But the attacks have also raised questions about Washington's publicly stated goals of containing the conflict and protecting American personnel throughout the Middle East.

White House Homeland Security spokesman John Kirby said Sunday that the United States is closely following Hezbollah's steps to replace its leadership after the removal of Nasrallah and other senior figures "and is continuing to discuss with Israelis on the appropriate next steps,"

The State Department has yet to issue an order to evacuate Americans and diplomatic personnel from Lebanon. But last week, US officials told the Reuters news agency that the Pentagon was sending several dozen additional troops to Cyprus to help the military prepare for various scenarios, including the evacuation of Americans from Lebanon.

The Pentagon said US forces were preparing for deployment, should it become necessary.

"Secretary Austin increased the readiness of additional US forces for possible deployment, increasing our readiness to respond to various situations," the Pentagon spokesman said in a statement./ VOA