United States Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin authorized the military to reinforce its presence in the Middle East with “defensive” air support capabilities and to place other forces in a high state of readiness, the Pentagon said this Sunday (29).
“(Austin) has increased the readiness of additional U.S. forces to deploy, elevating our preparedness to respond to multiple contingencies,” Pentagon spokesman Air Force Maj. Gen. Patrick Ryder said in a statement.
The statement did not detail which new aircraft would be deployed to the region.
“Secretary Austin has made clear that if Iran, its partners, or its proxies seize this moment to attack American personnel or interests in the region, the United States will take all necessary steps to defend our people,” Ryder added.
Understand the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah
Israel has launched a series of airstrikes on areas of Lebanon in recent days.
On Monday (23), the country had its deadliest day since the 2006 war, with more than 500 fatalities.
According to the Israeli military, the targets are members and military infrastructure of Hezbollah, one of the most powerful paramilitary forces in the Middle East and supported by Iran.
The offensive reached several points in Lebanon, including the country’s capital, Beirut. Thousands of people sought refuge in shelters and left cities in the south of the country.
Furthermore, a ground incursion has not been ruled out. Hezbollah and Israel began exchanging attacks after the start of the war in the Gaza Strip. The Lebanese group is an ally of Hamas, which invaded Israeli territory on October 7, 2023, killing hundreds of people and capturing hostages.
Due to the bombings, thousands of residents of northern Israel, where the border with Lebanon is located, had to be displaced. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has promised several times to return these citizens to their homes.
On September 17, Israel added the return of these residents as an official war objective.
At least two Brazilian teenagers died in the attacks. Itamaraty condemned the situation and called for an end to hostilities. The Brazilian government is also evaluating a possible rescue mission.
This content was originally published in United States authorizes army to reinforce presence in the Middle East on the CNN Brasil website.
Source: CNN Brasil
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