US military deploys additional troops to Middle East amid rising tensions

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The Department of Defense is deploying a small number of additional troops to the Middle East due to heightened tensions between Israel and Hezbollah, a Lebanon-based group. Pentagon spokesman Maj. Gen. Patrick Ryder announced this decision on Monday, without specifying the branches involved or the exact number of troops.

Ryder stated that the deployment aims to augment existing U.S. forces in the region amid increasing unrest. He noted, “In light of increased tension in the Middle East and out of an abundance of caution, we are sending a small number of additional U.S. military personnel forward,” but did not provide further details for operational security reasons.

On the same day, the USS Harry S. Truman was deployed to the Mediterranean Sea. The situation escalated when Israel launched a significant airstrike campaign against Hezbollah, targeting approximately 800 sites. The Lebanese health minister reported over 350 fatalities and more than 1,200 injuries from these strikes.

Israeli officials have advised civilians near Hezbollah sites to evacuate, as the military aims to push Hezbollah back from southern Lebanon. U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin has discussed the situation with Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, reaffirming U.S. support for Israel.

The State Department urged American citizens in Lebanon to leave while commercial flights remain available, citing the unpredictable nature of the conflict.