(Bloomberg) -- The US is deploying a few thousand more troops to the Middle East to defend Israel as the country steps up attacks against Hezbollah in Lebanon, the Pentagon said.
The additional forces are mostly made up of fighter-jet squadrons and units in the region that will stay longer than originally planned, Pentagon deputy spokeswoman Sabrina Singh told reporters. On Sunday, the Pentagon announced defensive air-support in the region would be reinforced in the coming days.
The US is keeping more forces in the region to protect US citizens and come to Israel’s defense if needed, Singh said.
The deployments come ahead of a possible Israeli ground assault against Hezbollah in Lebanon. That could trigger intensified missile attacks against Israel by the Iran-backed group. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin had earlier ordered the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group to stay longer in the region
The US isn’t evacuating US citizens and the embassy in Beirut is operating under normal hours, Singh said.
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