A day after President Biden vowed not to send combat troops to the region, the Pentagon announced Monday that it would send “thousands” of U.S. military personnel to the region to support Air Force squadrons.
Pentagon spokeswoman Sabrina Singh said in a briefing with reporters on Monday that the United States would send “thousands” of additional troops to the Middle East to enhance security and protect Israel if necessary.
Asked Sunday if he had any plans to send additional combat troops to the Middle East, Biden said a flatly “no.”
This increased presence will include multiple fighter squadrons to complement the F-15s, F-16s, A-10s, and F-22s already stationed in the region.
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Initially, the planes were scheduled to rotate and replace the squadron stationed there. Instead, due to rising tensions in the region and concerns that Iran might react to Israel's killing of a Hezbollah leader in Lebanon last week, it has decided to expand its existing squadron and new squadrons to double its available air power. Both squadrons are to remain in place.
Singh said that Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin has “intensified readiness for additional U.S. military deployments and increased preparedness to respond to a variety of contingencies. The Department of Defense (DOD) has also strengthened its efforts to ensure a robust and integrated presence across the Middle East.” “We are maintaining our air defense capabilities and ensuring our defense.” Number of US troops operating in the region. ”
The thousands of additional personnel are not combat troops, but maintenance personnel, personnel who can support air defense missions and refueling. The additional troops will bring the total number of U.S. military personnel in the region to up to 43,000.
The Pentagon's announcement follows intelligence that Israel has already launched limited raids across the northern border into Lebanon, amid expectations of a widespread ground invasion.
Additionally, following Israel's recent attack on Lebanon and the assassination of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, the Middle East war has significantly escalated, this time between Israel and Hezbollah, a Lebanese terrorist organization and Iranian proxy organization. It's intensifying. Israel is also engaged in an ongoing war with Hamas in the Gaza Strip in the south, after the Palestinian terrorist group sparked the conflict with a bloody invasion of southern Israel in October 2023.
Austin announced Sunday that it would temporarily expand the aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln Strike Group and its air wing aboard the region. U.S. officials said the extension would last about a month.
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America's second aircraft carrier, the USS Harry S. Truman, departed Virginia last week and was heading to Europe. Heading to the Mediterranean Sea, they will once again be able to demonstrate their presence as two aircraft carriers over a wide area. It is not expected to arrive for at least another week.
An Israeli Defense Forces tank fires during an exercise near the Lebanese border on September 30, 2024. (IDF Spokesperson Unit)
Biden told reporters on Monday that “I don't understand reports that Israel is planning a limited ground operation in Lebanon after nearly a year of exchanging attacks with Hezbollah in the wake of the Israel-Hamas war. I know more than you know.” He said he hoped for an immediate ceasefire.
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Asked about the report, Mr. Biden said, “I'm happy that the report has stopped,'' and “There should be a ceasefire now.''
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
