How U.S. aids Israel in conflict with Hezbollah, Iran: Tracing its troops in West Asia | Infographics

Israel faces escalating conflict in the Middle East, with U.S. military support crucial in defending against multiple threats.

On October 7, 2023, Hamas launched a major onslaught on Israel killing over 1,200 people, leading to Israel’s fresh onslaught on Gaza. Israel expanded the war targeting Hezbollah, the Iran-backed Lebanese militia group, after it opened a “support front” in Israel’s north. Iran too joined the war by firing at Israel as “retaliation” for killing Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran in late July. Israel is thus fighting war on three sides.

The U.S. has increased its military presence in the West Asia by several thousand troops, sending an array of fighter jets and other aircraft to bolster the protection of its assets and allies in the region. The American military assets deployed in the region have helped Israel defend against attacks from multiple fronts.

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Over the past year, the U.S. has maintained a heightened military presence in the Middle East, with approximately 43,000 troops deployed in the region. This force includes at least a dozen warships and multiple squadrons of advanced aircraft, such as F-15E, F-16, F-22 fighter jets, and A-10 attack aircraft. The presence is aimed at protecting U.S. allies, including Israel, and serving as a deterrent to potential threats and attacks in the region.

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They are primarily tasked with defeating threats from Iran and its network of armed affiliates in the region, including Hamas (Gaza Strip), Hezbollah (Lebanon), the Houthis (Yemen), and several Iraq- and Syria-based militant groups.

Navy forces in the Red Sea have engaged Houthi rebels who were attacking Israeli ships in support of Hamas. In the Eastern Mediterranean, U.S. guided missile destroyers intercepted around a dozen Iranian missiles, according to a press release from Tuesday (October 1, 2024). Meanwhile, in Syria and Iraq, U.S. forces have targeted Iran-backed militia groups.