US Forces Deploy in Cyprus, Preparing for Various Scenarios

On Wednesday, September 24, 2024, CNN, citing American officials, reported that the United States has deployed “dozens of American soldiers” in Cyprus due to the escalating tensions between Israel and Hezbollah.

The network indicated that US forces are preparing for different scenarios, including the potential evacuation of American citizens from Lebanon, without specifying the number of soldiers involved.

Pentagon spokesperson Pat Ryder confirmed the deployment but refrained from providing further details about the American convoy heading to Cyprus.

The island, which lies less than 500 kilometers from Israel, served as an evacuation site during the 2006 conflict between Israel and Hezbollah. It has also previously been used as a middle ground for signing agreements between Israel and neighboring countries.

Escalating Tensions

On Monday, the British government announced that around 700 British soldiers will be relocating to Cyprus as part of emergency plans following the escalation between Israel and Lebanon.

The British Defense Minister stated that the UK continues to urge all parties to de-escalate the conflict to prevent further tragic loss of life.

On the other hand, the US Department of Defense announced on Monday that the United States will send “a limited number” of additional troops to the Middle East amid rising tensions in the region.

Since Monday morning, the Israeli army has launched its “fiercest and widest” attack on Lebanon since the confrontations with Hezbollah began nearly a year ago. The assault has resulted in 640 deaths, including children and women, as well as 2,505 injuries and approximately 390,000 displaced people.

Meanwhile, air raid sirens continue to sound across Israel as Hezbollah fires hundreds of rockets at military sites and settlements. The group has also launched a ballistic missile targeting the headquarters of the Mossad, Israel’s foreign intelligence agency, in Tel Aviv. Israeli officials have remained silent on the extent of human and material losses, according to observers.

Since October 8, Lebanese and Palestinian factions in Lebanon, primarily Hezbollah, have been exchanging fire with the Israeli army daily across the “Blue Line” border.

These factions are calling for an end to the war Israel has been waging, with American support, on the Gaza Strip since October 7. The conflict has resulted in over 137,000 Palestinian casualties, most of them women and children, with more than 10,000 people missing amid massive destruction and deadly famine.