Press
Tensions are increasing in the border area between Israel and Lebanon. The US fears that a large-scale military confrontation could occur.
Tel Aviv/Beirut – The US is preparing for the possible evacuation of Americans from Lebanon in light of the increasing military conflict between Israel and the pro-Iranian Hezbollah. An additional warship and a marine expeditionary unit have been relocated to the Mediterranean to reinforce US troops in the region, reported the US broadcaster NBC, citing three US defense officials familiar with the plans and a former US official. The step also serves as a deterrent to prevent an escalation of the conflict.
US officials are increasingly concerned that Israel could increase air strikes and even launch a ground offensive in Lebanon in the coming weeks, it said. The US portal “Politico” also reported, citing US intelligence information, that a large-scale military confrontation between Israel and Hezbollah is likely to occur in the coming weeks if there is no agreement on a ceasefire in the Gaza war between Israel and the Islamist Hamas.
Since the beginning of the Gaza war, there have been daily exchanges of fire between the Israeli army and Hezbollah in the border area between Israel and Lebanon. Recently, the fighting has become significantly more intense. On Thursday evening, the Shiite militia fired around 35 rockets at northern Israel, the Israeli army announced. Most of the missiles were intercepted. The Shiite militia described the attack as a response to the killing of one of its fighters hours earlier. There are fears that a possible open war between Israel and Lebanon could escalate into a regional conflict in which the USA, as Israel’s most important ally, would also be drawn in. dpa
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