Pentagon: Small number of additional US forces going to Middle East as risk of greater war increases

Pentagon — 

The United States is sending a tiny fig of further troops to the Middle East pursuing a crisp spike successful unit betwixt Israel and Hezbollah forces successful Lebanon, Pentagon property caput Major General Pat Ryder said connected Monday.

Ryder did not supply further details connected the fig of forces oregon what they would beryllium doing.

However, a elder U.S. authoritative told VOA the fig of troops would beryllium successful the dozens and their superior task would beryllium preparing for a imaginable military-assisted departure of U.S. citizens, should a greater determination warfare interruption out.

Another U.S. authoritative stressed that the concern was not astatine a constituent yet wherever a military-assisted departure was needed.

If an evacuation is needed, the U.S. subject has Marines deployed adjacent who could execute the mission, different authoritative told VOA. All spoke connected information of anonymity to sermon delicate nationalist information issues.

Ryder, successful effect to a VOA question connected Monday, told reporters that the Pentagon was a “planning organization” that was acceptable for a “wide assortment of contingencies,” should the U.S. subject beryllium called for assistance.

“We person much capableness successful the portion contiguous than we did connected April 14, erstwhile Iran conducted its drone and rocket onslaught against Israel,” helium said.

The announcement comes aft respective strikes by Israeli forces against Hezbollah targets wrong Lebanon person killed hundreds of people. The State Department is informing Americans to permission Lebanon arsenic the hazard of a determination warfare escalates.