US troops deployed to Cyprus as fears of wider Middle East war intensify

(CNN) — Dozens of US troops have been deployed to Cyprus amid sharply escalating tensions between Israel and Hezbollah, and they are preparing for a range of contingencies including a possible evacuation operation from Lebanon for US citizens should a full-blown war erupt, four US officials told CNN.

Pentagon press secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said earlier this week that the US military would be deploying “a small number of US military personnel forward” to the region “out of an abundance of caution.” But he declined to say how many troops were deployed, where they were sent, and what branch they belonged to.

Cyprus played a key role in helping to evacuate foreign nationals from Lebanon during Israel’s war with Hezbollah in Lebanon in 2006, facilitating the departure and accommodation of tens of thousands of people at the time as they fled the conflict.

Cyprus’s deputy government spokesperson, Yiannis Antoniou, told Reuters last month that the island nation is again on standby to help if needed.

The UK announced on Tuesday that it was sending 700 troops to Cyprus to prepare for a possible emergency evacuation of British citizens from Lebanon if one becomes necessary.

“The most important message from me this evening is to British nationals in Lebanon, to leave immediately and I just want to reinforce that,” said British Prime Minister Keir Starmer. The US State Department has also repeatedly warned US citizens to leave Lebanon while commercial travel options are still available.

Tensions between Israel and Hezbollah have reached new highs over the last week, beginning when Israel carried out covert attacks that detonated Hezbollah pagers and walkie-talkies. Israel followed up by pounding Beirut and southern Lebanon with airstrikes that have killed hundreds of civilians and Hezbollah fighters in recent days.

The militant group has responded with rocket attacks targeting Israeli sites including Ramat David air base east of Haifa, and on Wednesday launched a missile directly at Tel Aviv which was intercepted by Israeli air defenses. Later on Wednesday, the Israel Defense Forces announced it would be calling up two reserve brigades for a mission in northern Israel.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Wednesday that the US is “working tirelessly” on diplomatic efforts to prevent an “full-blown war” between Israel and Lebanon.

“Risk of escalation in the region is acute, and I know that we are all very much focused on that,” Blinken told his counterparts in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) at a meeting on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York.

A US official told CNN on Monday that “we are the closest we’ve been to spiraling to a regional war” since Hamas’ October 7 attack.

One of the biggest concerns for the US right now is that Iran, which is a key backer of Hezbollah, will get involved, the official said. Tehran has not intervened yet, but they will if they believe they are about to lose their most powerful proxy force, Hezbollah, the official added.

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