US, UK Send Troops To Cyprus For Lebanon Contingencies
Sept 27, 2024 1:33:28 GMT -5
Post by OmegaMan on Sept 27, 2024 1:33:28 GMT -5
US, UK Send Hundreds Of Troops To Cyprus For Lebanon Contingencies
by Tyler Durden
Thursday, Sep 26, 2024 - 01:55 PM
Earlier this week amid escalation between Israel and Hezbollah, and with increasing airstrikes hitting Beirut - resulting in commercial air traffic at Beirut's international airport coming to a total halt - the Pentagon said it is sending more US troops to the region.
At least some of them have already arrived in Cyprus, CNN has reported. Dozens of American troops are there, with Pentagon press secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder having confirmed that the US has sent "a small number of US military personnel forward" to the region "out of an abundance of caution." Close US ally the United Kingdom has ordered a surge of hundreds to Cyprus alongside the US troops.
This is to prepare for a range of contingencies which could include warships going to the Lebanese coast to conduct an emergency evacuations of remaining American citizens in Lebanon.
"The support that you’re seeing when it comes to US forces in the region is for our own force protection and should we need to come to the defense of Israel, like we saw from that large-scale attack from Iran," Pentagon spokeswoman Sabrina Singh said in a follow-up briefing.
"We still believe, right now, the conflict has been contained to Gaza. There’s no question that there are higher tensions in the region, there’s no question that there’s been an increase in border clashes on that northern border," Singh continued.
The Pentagon also said in the Wednesday briefing that it does not assess that Israel and Hezbollah are yet in a state of all-out war, while also denying that an Israeli military invasion of Lebanon is 'imminent.' But Israeli forces are currently simulating a potential ground invasion. IDF leadership has told troops to be ready at any moment.
Continued at link
by Tyler Durden
Thursday, Sep 26, 2024 - 01:55 PM
Earlier this week amid escalation between Israel and Hezbollah, and with increasing airstrikes hitting Beirut - resulting in commercial air traffic at Beirut's international airport coming to a total halt - the Pentagon said it is sending more US troops to the region.
At least some of them have already arrived in Cyprus, CNN has reported. Dozens of American troops are there, with Pentagon press secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder having confirmed that the US has sent "a small number of US military personnel forward" to the region "out of an abundance of caution." Close US ally the United Kingdom has ordered a surge of hundreds to Cyprus alongside the US troops.
This is to prepare for a range of contingencies which could include warships going to the Lebanese coast to conduct an emergency evacuations of remaining American citizens in Lebanon.
"The support that you’re seeing when it comes to US forces in the region is for our own force protection and should we need to come to the defense of Israel, like we saw from that large-scale attack from Iran," Pentagon spokeswoman Sabrina Singh said in a follow-up briefing.
"We still believe, right now, the conflict has been contained to Gaza. There’s no question that there are higher tensions in the region, there’s no question that there’s been an increase in border clashes on that northern border," Singh continued.
The Pentagon also said in the Wednesday briefing that it does not assess that Israel and Hezbollah are yet in a state of all-out war, while also denying that an Israeli military invasion of Lebanon is 'imminent.' But Israeli forces are currently simulating a potential ground invasion. IDF leadership has told troops to be ready at any moment.
Continued at link
