The Pentagon said on Monday that the United States would send additional troops to the Middle East following a surge in violence between Israeli and Hezbollah forces in Lebanon, raising the risk of an escalating regional war.
Pentagon spokesman Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder did not provide details about the number of additional troops or their mission. The US currently has about 40,000 troops in the region.
The new developments come as Israeli forces launched a major attack on targets in Lebanon, killing hundreds and as Israel prepares for further operations.
“The war is not with you, it is with Hezbollah,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a message to the Lebanese people on Monday. He also accused Hezbollah of storing weapons in homes and garages.
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“These rockets and missiles are aimed directly at our cities, at our people. To protect our people from Hezbollah’s attacks, we must eliminate these weapons,” Netanyahu said.
He added that the IDF had warned citizens to stay away from dangerous areas.
Meanwhile, the US State Department has warned Americans to withdraw from Lebanon, citing the growing risk of a regional war.
“Due to the ongoing conflict between Hezbollah and Israel and the unpredictable nature of recent explosions across Lebanon, including in Beirut, the U.S. Embassy urges U.S. nationals to leave Lebanon while commercial options still exist,” the State Department warned on Saturday.
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