The move comes as concerns rise about the potential for a wider regional conflict.
Pentagon press secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder declined to specify the number of troops being deployed or their specific mission. The US currently maintains a force of approximately 40,000 personnel in the region.
The announcement follows the recent deployment of the aircraft carrier USS Truman, accompanied by two destroyers and a cruiser, from Norfolk, Virginia, to the Mediterranean.
This deployment, while described as routine, raises the possibility of the US maintaining a dual carrier presence in the region, with the USS Abraham Lincoln already stationed in the Gulf of Oman.
“In light of increased tension in the Middle East and out of an abundance of caution, we are sending a small number of additional US military personnel forward to augment our forces that are already in the region. But for operational security reasons, I’m not going to comment on or provide specifics,” Ryder stated.
These troop deployments come in the wake of Israel's heavy airstrikes on Lebanon, which have resulted in hundreds of casualties. Israel is preparing to conduct further military operations.