Pentagon Maintains U.S. Military Posture Amid Middle East Tensions

The Pentagon confirmed no changes to U.S. military posture in the Middle East amid recent deadly attacks in Lebanon, attributed to Israel. Israel, blamed for attacks on Hezbollah’s communication equipment, has not commented. Amidst rising regional tensions, the U.S. proposal for a Gaza ceasefire deal faces obstacles.

The Pentagon confirmed that there are no changes to U.S. military posture in the Middle East, despite recent deadly attacks in Lebanon attributed to Israel. These attacks targeted Hezbollah's communication equipment, resulting in 37 deaths and around 3,000 injuries, overwhelming Lebanese hospitals.

"I am not tracking any force posture changes in the Eastern Med or in the Central Command area of responsibility," Pentagon spokesperson Sabrina Singh said in a press briefing. Singh emphasized that escalating tensions in the Middle East would be unhelpful.

"In pretty much every call, the secretary always reiterates the need to quell regional tensions," Singh added, referencing Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin's call with his Israeli counterpart. Meanwhile, critics urged Washington to leverage its military support for Israel to control the conflict. President Joe Biden's Gaza ceasefire proposal has encountered multiple obstacles.

(With inputs from agencies.)