WSJ: Pager explosions heighten US concerns about war in southern Lebanon
The pager explosions have heightened concerns within the US Department of Defense about the possibility of a ground war in southern Lebanon between Israel and the Shiite Hezbollah movement. reports The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) newspaper cited a senior Pentagon official.
According to the publication, even before the explosions of hundreds of pagers in Lebanon, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin told other senior Pentagon officials that he feared an imminent Israeli offensive after months of mutual missile and air attacks with Hezbollah.
“I’m very concerned that this is getting out of control,” a U.S. military spokesman said.
At the same time, American officials emphasized that they have not yet seen any signs, such as the call-up of reservists, that would indicate the imminent start of the operation.
Earlier it became known that the US had developed a prepared plan for the evacuation of Americans from Lebanon in the event of a full-scale armed conflict between Israel and Hezbollah. It is specified that about 50 thousand Americans were planned to be taken out of the country via the Mediterranean Sea to Cyprus on civilian sea vessels.
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