Chicago – September 30, 2024
The Pentagon announced on Monday that the U.S. will send several thousand troops to the Middle East to help increase security and potentially defend Israel if needed. This decision comes after Israel conducted raids across the border into Lebanon.
With these new troops, the total U.S. military presence in the region could reach up to 43,000. The Pentagon’s spokesperson, Sabrina Singh, explained that this expansion includes multiple fighter and attack jet squadrons.
The additional aircraft are F-15E, F-16, and F-22 fighters, along with A-10 attack planes and the necessary personnel to support them. These jets will join the ones already in the area, effectively doubling the U.S. airpower there.
Following recent attacks in Lebanon and the assassination of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, tensions have escalated between Israel and Hezbollah.
In response, the U.S. is also extending the deployment of the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group in the region for about a month, and the USS Harry S. Truman is on its way to Europe, soon to be positioned in the Mediterranean Sea.
President Joe Biden expressed his awareness of Israel’s plans for a possible ground operation in Lebanon and emphasized the need for an immediate ceasefire during a statement at the White House on Monday.
