Falcon powers – NBC News has reported, citing sources, that the U.S. military is moving its forces near Lebanon and Israel to be ready to evacuate its citizens if the confrontation between Israel and the Lebanese Hezbollah escalates.
NBC News, citing three U.S. defense officials and a former U.S. official, explained that “the Pentagon is moving U.S. military forces near Israel and Lebanon to be ready to evacuate American citizens as the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah intensifies.”
The report added that “the United States is also negotiating with its allies in the Middle East to coordinate potential evacuation operations and any coalition military operations.”
It noted that the amphibious assault ship USS Wasp and the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit, capable of conducting special operations, moved to the Mediterranean Sea on Wednesday to join the amphibious ship USS Oak Hill and another ship in its ready amphibious group.
The officials said that the Wasp ship will operate in the eastern Mediterranean to be ready for evacuation operations with military assistance and other missions.
NBC News said Washington is increasingly concerned that Israel may carry out airstrikes and a potential ground offensive in Lebanon in the coming weeks.
Politico also reported, citing U.S. intelligence information, that “a large-scale war between Israel and the Lebanese Hezbollah could occur in the coming weeks” if the Israeli side and the Hamas movement do not reach an agreement to stop the firing in the Gaza Strip.
