Israeli and Hezbollah clashed on Sunday, escalating tensions in the Middle East. A Pentagon official revealed that the United States provided intelligence support to Israel in tracking Hezbollah’s attacks on Sunday morning.
According to the Cable News Network (CNN), the Pentagon official emphasized that the U.S. was not involved in Israel’s strike against Hezbollah on Sunday.
“We will continue to closely monitor the situation and stand ready to support Israel in defending against attacks from Iran and its proxies,” the official stated.
Israel stated on Sunday that upon confirming Hezbollah’s preparation to launch missiles and rockets towards Israeli territory, the Israeli military conducted preemptive airstrikes on the armed organization. Over 100 Israeli fighter jets targeted more than 40 Hezbollah launch sites in Lebanon.
Hezbollah retaliated by claiming to have launched 320 rockets and a series of drone attacks against Israel, hitting 11 military targets as a response to Israel’s assassination of senior Hezbollah military commander Fuad Shukr last month.
Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah spoke earlier on Sunday, stating that the organization’s attacks focused on the Glilot military base and Ein Shemer airport in Israel.
Nasrallah mentioned that Hezbollah would assess the damage caused to Israeli assets before deciding on further attacks.
Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) spokesperson Daniel Hagari refuted Hezbollah’s claims of causing damage to Israeli military bases, stating, “Contrary to Hezbollah’s claims, no damage was inflicted on IDF bases, neither in the north nor in the central regions.”
Hagari pointed out that most of the rockets and drones launched by Hezbollah were intercepted or landed in uninhabited areas.
The United States has intelligence and reconnaissance resources in the region, including destroyers deployed in the eastern Mediterranean and drones monitoring the area.
As part of the support to Israel, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin ordered two aircraft carrier strike groups to remain in the Middle East, with the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier joining the USS Theodore Roosevelt strike group in the region. The USS Wasp amphibious ready group has arrived in the Mediterranean. In recent weeks, advanced F-22 fighter jets have also been deployed to the U.S. Central Command.
The Jordanian government warned that the intense fighting between Israel and Lebanon is concerning and could potentially lead to a wider war involving Israel, Iran, and their proxies in the Middle East.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated during a cabinet meeting on Sunday that after Hezbollah, supported by Iran, attempted to attack Israel with rockets and drones, he ordered a “decisive preemptive strike to eliminate the threat.”
“IDF intercepted all drones launched by Hezbollah towards strategic targets in central Israel,” Netanyahu said, adding that this was another step towards changing the situation in the north and ensuring the safety of Israeli residents returning home.
However, he emphasized that the strike against Hezbollah was not the end of the story.
(This article references reports from CNN and The Times of Israel.)