Pentagon Sending a ‘Few Thousand’ Personnel to Middle East Day After Biden Said He Wouldn’t Add Combat Troops
The Pentagon announced on Monday that it is sending a “few thousand” U.S. personnel to the Middle East to support Air Force squadrons, a day after President Biden vowed not to send combat troops to the region.
Pentagon spokesperson Sabrina Singh said the U.S. was sending a “few thousand” more troops to the Middle East to bolster security and to defend Israel, if needed. The increased presence includes multiple warplane squadrons, complementing the F-15s, F-16s, A-10s, and F-22s already stationed in the region.
The additional forces are not combat troops but rather maintenance crews and those who can help with the air defense mission and refueling. The influx of troops will raise the total number of U.S. personnel in the region to as many as 43,000.
This decision comes in the wake of recent attacks in Lebanon and the killing of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, a significant escalation in the ongoing conflict in the region, particularly between Israel and Hezbollah.
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has increased the readiness of additional U.S. forces to deploy, elevating the preparedness to respond to various contingencies. The Department of Defense maintains robust and integrated air-defense capabilities across the Middle East, ensuring the protection of U.S. forces operating in the region.
