The United States announced on Monday, Sept. 23, that it is sending more troops to the Middle East as the growing conflict between Israel and Hezbollah has led to fears of a widespread regional war. The Pentagon would not reveal how many troops were being sent to the region, but currently, there are 40,000 American troops in the Middle East.
The U.S. said that it is sending the additional forces out of an abundance of caution but remained secretive of the details, citing “security reasons.”
The U.S. presence in the Middle East is reportedly meant to defend Israel and protect U.S. personnel stationed overseas.
The announcement on Monday came on the same day the aircraft carrier USS Truman, two destroyers and a cruiser set sail from Norfolk, Virginia, for the Mediterranean, on a regularly scheduled deployment.
Meanwhile, U.S. Navy warships and fighter jets are currently in strategic positions throughout the region to respond to any potential attacks.
The additional deployment of U.S forces opens the door to keep the USS Truman and USS Abraham Lincoln in the Gulf of Oman in case of an outbreak of violence.
The enhanced security comes as Israeli forces have hit targets inside of Lebanon, killing hundreds of people. The country has said it plans on conducting more operations. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on Monday that Israel is widening its airstrike efforts against Hezbollah.
