WASHINGTON—The Biden administration is moving military forces to deter an Iranian response following Israel’s stepped-up air campaign against Hezbollah and the start of a ground operation in southern Lebanon, U.S. and Israeli officials said.
Those moves come after the U.S. warned Iran and the militant groups it supports against targeting American personnel or escalating the conflict. U.S. officials are specifically worried that Iran might mount a new attack on Israel as retaliation for the killing of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and its escalating military campaign in Lebanon.
In response, the Defense Department is planning to bolster the number of Air Force F-15E, F-16 and A-10 warplanes it has deployed in the Middle East region, the Pentagon said Monday. The U.S. also has F-22s in the region, though their number will stay the same.
That increase in Air Force fighters is significant because F-15E and F-16s fighters played a major role in shooting down Iranian drones when Tehran mounted a missile and drone attack against Israel in April.