US, UK Send Hundreds Of Troops To Cyprus For Lebanon Contingencies

Earlier this week amid escalation between Israel and Hezbollah, and with increasing airstrikes hitting Beirut - resulting in commercial air traffic at Beirut's international airport coming to a total halt - the Pentagon said it is sending more US troops to the region. 

At least some of them have already arrived in Cyprus, CNN has reported. Dozens of American troops are there, with Pentagon press secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder having confirmed that the US has sent "a small number of US military personnel forward" to the region "out of an abundance of caution." Close US ally the United Kingdom has ordered a surge of hundreds to Cyprus alongside the US troops.

This is to prepare for a range of contingencies which could include warships going to the Lebanese coast to conduct an emergency evacuations of remaining American citizens in Lebanon.

"The support that you’re seeing when it comes to US forces in the region is for our own force protection and should we need to come to the defense of Israel, like we saw from that large-scale attack from Iran," Pentagon spokeswoman Sabrina Singh said in a follow-up briefing.

"We still believe, right now, the conflict has been contained to Gaza. There’s no question that there are higher tensions in the region, there’s no question that there’s been an increase in border clashes on that northern border," Singh continued.

The Pentagon also said in the Wednesday briefing that it does not assess that Israel and Hezbollah are yet in a state of all-out war, while also denying that an Israeli military invasion of Lebanon is 'imminent.' But Israeli forces are currently simulating a potential ground invasion. IDF leadership has told troops to be ready at any moment.

Singh explained, "It’s not how we would characterize an all-out full-scale regional war. What you’re seeing is a trade of fires back and forth on that northern border. I’d point you to October 8, when Hezbollah started launching those. We’re not seeing this widen out into a regional conflict."

She touted that the Biden administration is busy working on a diplomatic solution, but clearly the Israeli government didn't get the message as Netanyahu had already dismissed the possibility of a ceasefire at this stage. 

Meanwhile, the United Kingdom currently had many more troops positioned in Cyprus ready to help with contingencies related to the emergency in Lebanon. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced Tuesday that the miliary is sending 700 more troops to UK bases on the island-nation.

"The most important message from me this evening is to British nationals in Lebanon, to leave immediately and I just want to reinforce that," Starmer said. 

It should be recalled that Hezbollah has already issued threats aimed at Cyprus. Months ago Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah warned that if Cyprus plays host to IDF jets for bombing runs in Lebanon, it too could come under Hezbollah's drone attacks:

"The Cypriot government should be careful," he said.

For many, the announcement was a shock.

President Nikos Christodoulides told reporters: "Cyprus is not involved, in any way, in the military conflicts," in response to Nasrallah’s comments.

Nasrallah had specifically laid out that Cyprus would be considered "part of the war" if it allowed Israeli jets and military assets to use its bases as staging grounds for attacks.

The US and UK governments have long had a significant military presence there. Cyprus lies a little over 150 miles from the Lebanese coast.