US Enhances Air Support and Increases Troop Readiness for Middle East Deployment, Reports Reuters

By Phil Stewart and Idrees Ali

WASHINGTON – The U.S. military announced on Sunday that it is enhancing its air support capabilities in the Middle East and placing troops on heightened alert for potential deployment to the region. This decision comes amid warnings to Iran against escalating the ongoing conflict.

The announcement followed President Joe Biden’s instruction to the Pentagon to modify U.S. military posture in the Middle East, driven by increasing concerns that the recent killing of Hezbollah’s leader by Israel might trigger retaliation from Tehran.

“The United States is determined to prevent Iran and Iranian-backed partners and proxies from exploiting the situation or expanding the conflict,” stated Pentagon spokesperson Major General Patrick Ryder. He emphasized that if Iran or its allied groups “use this moment to target American personnel or interests in the region, the United States will take every necessary measure to defend our people.”

Details regarding the size or scope of the new air deployment were scarce, with the Pentagon only indicating that “we will further reinforce our defensive air-support capabilities in the coming days.”

Following the killing of Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah and other key Hezbollah commanders, Israel continued its military strikes in Lebanon over the weekend, intensifying its campaign against the group. These operations have dealt significant blows to Hezbollah’s leadership, which has raised concerns about security and the U.S. objectives of containing the conflict while ensuring the safety of American personnel in the Middle East.

White House national security spokesperson John Kirby noted that the United States is closely monitoring how Hezbollah might react to the loss of its leaders and is in ongoing discussions with Israeli officials about the appropriate next steps.

As of now, the U.S. State Department has not ordered an evacuation from Lebanon. However, U.S. officials reported last week that the Pentagon has dispatched additional troops to Cyprus as part of efforts to prepare for various scenarios, including a potential evacuation of Americans from Lebanon.

The Pentagon affirmed that U.S. forces are being readied for deployment if necessary. “The Secretary of Defense has increased the readiness of additional U.S. forces to deploy, elevating our preparedness to respond to various contingencies,” Ryder stated.