US deploying more troops, aircraft to Middle East

The U.S. is sending an “additional few thousand” troops to the Middle East amid roiling tensions over Israel’s deadly strikes on Lebanon that killed top Hezbollah leaders last week, according to Pentagon deputy press secretary Sabrina Singh.

Singh said Monday that an unspecified number of troops have been put on prepare to deploy orders.

“Secretary Austin increased the readiness of additional US forces to deploy, elevating our preparedness to respond to various contingencies,” she told reporters. 

She would not reveal specifics due to operational security reasons, but she noted the forces “cover a wide range of capabilities and missions.”

Israeli airstrikes on Lebanon over the last week killed Hezbollah’s longtime leader, Hassan Nasrallah, as well as at least six other top officials in the Iran-backed militant group and more than 1,000 civilians.  

The United States has said justice was served to Nasrallah but worries the death, in addition to ongoing civilian casualties, will spark a wider regional conflict.

The Pentagon on Sunday announced that it would “adjust our force posture based on the evolving security situation,” with Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin directing the USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group to remain in the Middle East, while the USS Wasp Amphibious Ready Group/Marine Expeditionary Unit (ARG/MEU) will stay put in the Eastern Mediterranean. 

Austin and defense leaders “remain focused on the protection of U.S. citizens and forces in the region, the defense of Israel, and the de-escalation of the situation through deterrence and diplomacy,” Pentagon press secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said in a statement.

“Secretary Austin made clear that should Iran, its partners, or its proxies use this moment to target American personnel or interests in the region, the United States will take every necessary measure to defend our people,” he added. 

The statement also said the Defense Department would “further reinforce” the U.S. military’s air defense support in the region in the coming days, to include F-22, F-15E and F-16 fighter jets and A-10 aircraft. 

Singh said the additional air support are units previously scheduled to deploy, and they will join units already there instead of replacing them, as was first planned. 

The reinforcements include “a certain number of units already deployed to the Middle East region that will be extended, and the forces due to rotate into theater to replace them will now instead augment the in-place forces already in the region.” 

She added “an additional few thousand” service members will be in the region.