WASHINGTON — The United States is sending a small number of additional troops to the Middle East in response to a sharp increase in violence between Israel and Hezbollah forces in Lebanon that has raised the risk of a larger regional war, the Pentagon said Monday.
Pentagon press secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder did not say how many additional forces would be deployed or what tasks they would be assigned. The United States currently has about 40,000 troops in the region.
On Monday, the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman, two Navy destroyers and a cruiser left Norfolk, Virginia, for the Sixth Fleet area of operations in Europe as part of a regularly scheduled deployment. The ships’ departure opens the possibility that the United States could keep both the Truman and the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln, which is in the Arabian Gulf, in the region in case further violence erupts.
“Given the heightened tensions in the Middle East and as a precautionary measure, we are sending a small number of additional U.S. military personnel to augment our forces already in the region,” Ryder said. “But for operational security reasons, I will not comment or provide details.”
The new deployments come after major strikes by Israeli forces against targets in Lebanon that left hundreds dead, and as Israel prepares to carry out new operations.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned Lebanese civilians in a video message Monday to evacuate their homes ahead of an escalating air campaign, speaking as Israeli warplanes attacked suspected Hezbollah targets in southern and eastern Lebanon.
The United States has “concrete ideas” for restoring calm along the Israeli-Lebanese border that it will present to allies and partners this week on the sidelines of the annual meeting of the United Nations General Assembly, which brings together world leaders, a senior State Department official said Monday.
The official, who spoke to reporters on condition of anonymity to discuss private diplomatic efforts, said the United States and many other countries were eager to present an “off-ramp” to Israel and Hezbollah to reduce tensions and prevent all-out war.
The official declined to elaborate on what those “concrete ideas” were, saying they had not yet been presented to allies and partners for what he called a “stress test” of their likelihood of success.
State Department warns Americans to leave Lebanon as risk of regional war increases.
“Due to the unpredictable nature of the ongoing conflict between Hezbollah and Israel and the recent explosions throughout Lebanon, including in Beirut, the U.S. Embassy urges U.S. citizens to depart Lebanon while commercial options remain available,” the State Department warned Saturday.
Ryder did not say whether the additional forces could support the evacuation of American citizens if necessary.
U.S. officials said a decision was expected soon, possibly this week, on whether the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln will remain in the Middle East or continue to the Asia-Pacific.
Having two carrier strike groups in the Middle East at the same time has been relatively rare in recent years. But as violence has escalated between Israel and Hamas and Hezbollah, two Iranian-backed militant groups, the Biden administration has ordered the Navy to overlap carriers and their warships for several weeks on several occasions.
It will take about two weeks for the Truman aircraft carrier to cross the Atlantic Ocean and reach the Mediterranean Sea. Officials spoke on condition of anonymity about the troop movements.
There is already a Marine Corps amphibious ready group in the eastern Mediterranean, with the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit on board, which should be able to assist in an evacuation if necessary.
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin held back-to-back calls with Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant over the weekend as he pushed for a cease-fire and reduced tensions in the region, Ryder said.
“Given the tensions and the escalation, as I have highlighted, there is a risk of a broader regional conflict. I don’t think we are there yet, but the situation is dangerous,” Mr Ryder said.
The U.S. presence in the Middle East is aimed at defending Israel and protecting U.S. and allied personnel and assets. Navy warships are scattered throughout the region, from the eastern Mediterranean Sea to the Gulf of Oman, and Air Force and Navy fighter jets are strategically based in multiple locations to be better prepared to respond to any attack.
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AP diplomatic reporter Matthew Lee contributed to this report from New York.
