Washington DC, United States

The United States, on Sunday (Sep 29) announced it will increase its military presence in the Middle East due to escalating tensions between Israel and the Iran-backed, Lebanon-based militant group Hezbollah, raising concerns about a potential full-scale war in the region.

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In a statement, the Pentagon highlighted its readiness to deploy forces at short notice if necessary. “The United States retains the capability to deploy forces on short notice. The Department of Defense continues to maintain a significant amount of capability in the region and to dynamically adjust our force posture based on the evolving security situation,” the US Defense Department (DOD) said.

"...This afloat posture is complemented by DoD’s elevated fighter and attack squadron presence, including F-22, F-15E, F-16, and A-10 aircraft, and we will further reinforce our defensive air-support capabilities in the coming days,” the statement added.

US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin and the DoD emphasised that their main focus remains on protecting American citizens and troops in the region, supporting Israel’s defence, and de-escalating the situation through diplomacy.

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'Determined to prevent Iran, proxies from exploiting the situation': US

"The United States is determined to prevent Iran and Iranian-backed partners and proxies from exploiting the situation or expanding the conflict," the statement said. "Should Iran, its partners, or its proxies use this moment to target American personnel or interests in the region, the United States will take every necessary measure to defend our people," the statement added.

'Going to war with Hezbollah or Iran isn’t the best approach': US

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Meanwhile, in an interview with CNN, White House National Security Communications Adviser John Kirby emphasised that going to war with Hezbollah or Iran isn’t the best approach. "If you want to bring those people back home safely and in a long-lasting way, we think the diplomatic route is the right one," Kirby said.

The US is closely monitoring Hezbollah's actions as it works through its leadership changes "and is continuing to talk to the Israelis about what the right next steps are," he said.

"We’ve been clear that we don't always agree on how they carry out operations, especially when it comes to civilian protection," Kirby added.

Also read: Israeli airstrikes pound key Yemeni port after Houthis fire missiles at Israel

US had no prior knowledge of the Israeli airstrike which killed Nasrallah

This statement follows an Israeli airstrike on Friday, which killed Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, along with Ali Karaki, the commander of Hezbollah’s Southern Front. On the same day, US President Joe Biden said Washington had no prior knowledge or involvement in the Israeli airstrike. 

Austin also stated that he was not given advance notice, but had spoken to his Israeli counterpart as the operation was taking place.

“We had no advance warning. My call with Minister Gallant took place while the operation was actually already underway,” the US defence secretary told reporters upon landing at Joint Base Andrews near Washington at that time.

(With inputs from agencies)