U.S. sends troops as Israel-Hezbollah conflict intensifies
4:08 PM EDT, September 23, 2024
The Pentagon announced that the United States will send additional troops to the Middle East on Monday. This is the U.S. response to the escalation of the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah. The world's attention is focused on Lebanon, where at least 274 people were killed in attacks on Monday alone.
Intense exchanges of fire between Israeli forces and Hezbollah have been ongoing since Thursday. On Monday morning, the Israeli military began intensive airstrikes on the organization's targets in Lebanon and along the border with Syria. The number of victims is continually rising. According to Lebanese news agencies, the current toll is 274 dead and over a thousand injured, including women and children.
The Lebanese Ministry of Interior announced that it would open schools in Beirut and Tripoli to serve as temporary shelters for those forced to leave their homes. The situation is becoming increasingly dire, and residents of the region are compelled to flee in search of safety.
The US will send more troops to the Middle East
As reported by the Associated Press, the United States decided to send additional troops to the Middle East amid the rapid escalation of conflict between Israel and Hezbollah. Pentagon Press Secretary, Major General Pat Ryder, did not disclose details regarding the number of additional troops or their specific regional missions. Currently, the United States has around 40,000 troops in that area.
The Pentagon warned that the escalation of the conflict increases the risk of a broader regional war. Such escalation could have severe consequences not only for the directly involved countries but also for the overall stability of the entire region.
US State Department warns Americans
Israel is preparing to continue the operation, raising concerns about further escalation of the conflict. In response to the increasing tensions, the US State Department issued a warning for citizens, advising them to leave Lebanon. The rising risk of war in the region is becoming more troubling, which underscores the need to monitor the situation and respond swiftly to potential threats.
"Due to the unpredictable nature of the ongoing conflict between Hezbollah and Israel and recent explosions throughout Lebanon, the US Embassy urges US citizens to leave Lebanon while commercial options are available," the State Department warned on Saturday.
