The United States is expected to send additional military personnel and aircraft to Israel in the coming weeks as Washington and its ally prepare for the possibility of renewed regional escalation involving Iran, according to Israeli media reports.
Around 3,000 US military personnel are already deployed across Israel in a range of roles, including operating air defence systems, aviation and support duties, logistics and command functions, Israeli news outlet Walla reported, citing security sources.
The US military has also been rotating some of its forces in Israel in recent weeks as existing deployments come to an end. Those movements are described as routine rotations rather than a newly deployed force of 3,000 troops.
However, security sources cited by Walla said further US forces and military aircraft are expected to arrive in the coming weeks as part of preparations for a possible deterioration in regional security.
The report did not specify how many additional troops or aircraft would be deployed or give a precise timetable for their arrival.
The preparations come amid heightened tensions between Washington, Israel and Tehran following months of direct confrontation and growing concern over the possibility of another major round of fighting.
Israel’s military is preparing for the possibility that renewed confrontation with Iran could escalate rapidly, according to Walla. Israeli assessments cited by the outlet point to mounting economic pressure on Tehran as US sanctions continue to weigh on the Iranian economy.
A senior Israeli security official also said Israel’s adversaries were closely watching political developments and elections in both Israel and the United States and could seek to carry out attacks intended to influence the domestic political environment without triggering a full-scale war.
The assessment has not been independently verified.
Israeli forces are meanwhile preparing operational plans for scenarios that could require large-scale strikes against Iran, while coordination between the Israeli military and US Central Command remains close.
One focus of that coordination is the possibility of Iranian missile attacks against Israel or Jordan in the event of another confrontation, according to the Israeli reporting.
The expected reinforcement comes alongside a broader US military buildup in the Middle East. Washington has moved additional naval and military assets into the region amid continued tensions with Iran and instability on several fronts.
Separately, Iran has warned that it remains prepared to respond militarily if Washington chooses confrontation over diplomacy, as tensions continue over sanctions, regional security and negotiations between the two sides.
Walla stressed that the approximately 3,000 US troops currently in Israel represent the total American military presence deployed across the country in different roles and should not be interpreted as 3,000 newly arrived personnel.
The reported new step is the expected deployment of additional troops and aircraft over the coming weeks as US and Israeli forces prepare for the possibility of another regional escalation.
