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U.S. NEWS Tuesday 24 sepTember 2024
U.S. is sending more troops to the Middle East as violence rises

between Israel and Hezbollah

By TARA COPP and Lebanon while commercial
LOLITA C. BALDOR options still remain avail-
Associated Press able,” the State Department
WASHINGTON (AP) — The cautioned Saturday. Ryder
U.S. is sending a small num- would not say if those ad-
ber of additional troops to ditional forces might support
the Middle East in response the evacuation of those citi-
to a sharp spike in violence zens if needed.
between Israel and Hezbol- There is already a Marine
lah forces in Lebanon that amphibious ready group in
has raised the risk of a great- the eastern Mediterranean
er regional war, the Penta- Sea, with the 26th Marine
gon said Monday. Expeditionary Unit aboard,
Pentagon press secretary which is expected to be
Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder would able to assist in an evacua-
provide no details on how tion if needed.
many additional forces or Defense Secretary Lloyd
what they would be tasked Austin held back-to-back
to do. The U.S. currently has calls with Israeli Defense
about 40,000 troops in the Minister Yoav Gallant over
region. the weekend as he pressed
On Monday, the aircraft for a cease-fire and a reduc-
carrier USS Harry S. Truman, tion of tensions in the region,
two Navy destroyers and a Pentagon spokesman Air Force Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder speaks during a press briefing at the Pentagon Ryder said.
cruiser set sail from Norfolk, on Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024 in Washington. Associated Press “Given the tensions, given
Virginia, headed to the Sixth the escalation, as I high-
Fleet area in Europe on a tional security reasons, I’m ern and eastern Lebanon. sions. lighted, there is the potential
regularly scheduled deploy- not going to comment on U.S. officials said a decision It will take the Truman about for a wider regional conflict.
ment. The ships’ departure or provide specifics.” is expected soon, possibly two weeks to cross the At- I don’t think we’re there yet,
opens up the possibility that The new deployments come this week, on whether the lantic Ocean and get into but it’s a dangerous situa-
the U.S. could keep both the after significant strikes by Is- Lincoln will stay in the Middle the Mediterranean Sea. The tion,” Ryder said.
Truman and the aircraft car- raeli forces against targets East or continue on to the officials spoke on condition The U.S. presence in the Mid-
rier USS Abraham Lincoln, inside Lebanon that have Asia-Pacific. of anonymity to discuss dle East is designed both to
which is in the Arabian Gulf, killed hundreds and as Israel Having two carrier strike troop movements. help defend Israel and pro-
in the region in case more is preparing to conduct fur- groups in the Middle East at The State Department is tect U.S. and allied person-
violence breaks out. ther operations. Israeli Prime the same time has been rel- warning Americans to leave nel and assets. Navy war-
“In light of increased tension Minister Benjamin Netan- atively rare in recent years. Lebanon as the risk of a re- ships are scattered across
in the Middle East and out yahu on Monday warned But as violence has spiked gional war increases. the region, from the eastern
of an abundance of cau- Lebanese civilians in a vid- between Israel and Hamas “Due to the unpredictable Mediterranean Sea to the
tion, we are sending a small eotaped message to evac- and Hezbollah, both Iranian- nature of ongoing conflict Gulf of Oman, and both Air
number of additional U.S. uate their homes ahead of a backed, the Biden adminis- between Hezbollah and Is- Force and Navy fighter jets
military personnel forward widening air campaign. He tration has ordered the Navy rael and recent explosions are strategically based at
to augment our forces that spoke as Israeli warplanes to have the carriers and their throughout Lebanon, includ- several locations to be bet-
are already in the region,” continued to strike alleged warships overlap for several ing Beirut, the U.S. Embassy ter prepared to respond to
Ryder said. “But for opera- Hezbollah targets in south- weeks on a couple occa- urges U.S. citizens to depart any attacks.q

Department won’t provide election security after

sheriff’s posts about Harris yard signs

RAVENNA, Ohio (AP) — A the sheriff's department sponsored by the NAACP over immigration. Likening
local Ohio elections board from providing security dur- of Portage County, many people in the U.S. illegally
says the county sheriff's de- ing in-person absentee vot- expressing fear about the to "human locusts," he sug-
partment will not be used ing. Sept. 13 comments. gested recording address-
for election security follow- Clites cited public com- "I believe walking into a vot- es of people with Harris
ing a social media post by ments indicating "per- ing location where a sheriff yard signs so when migrants
the sheriff saying people ceived intimidation by our deputy can be seen may need places to live "we'll al-
with Kamala Harris yard sheriff against certain vot- discourage voters from ready have the addresses In this undated photo released
signs should have their ad- ers" and the need to "make entering," Clites said. The of their New families ... who by the Portage County
dresses recorded so that sure every voter in Portage board is looking at using supported their arrival!" Sheriff's Office, Sheriff Bruce D.
Zuchowski poses.
immigrants can be sent to County feels safe casting private security already in Local Democrats filed Associated Press
live with them if the Demo- their ballot for any candi- place at the administration complaints with the Ohio
cratic vice president wins date they choose." building or having Ravenna secretary of state and oth- lican Gov. Mike DeWine
the November election. A Ravenna Record-Courier police provide security, Cli- er agencies, and the Amer- called the comments "un-
In a statement on the Por- story on the Akron Beacon tes said. ican Civil Liberties Union of fortunate" and "not help-
tage County Democrats' Journal site reported that a Portage County Sheriff Ohio accused Zuchowski of ful." The secretary of state's
Facebook page, county day earlier, about 150 peo- Bruce Zuchowski posted a an unconstitutional "imper- office said the comments
board of elections chair ple crowded into a room screenshot of a Fox News missible threat" against resi- didn't violate election laws
Randi Clites said members at the Kent United Church segment criticizing Presi- dents who want to display and it didn't plan any ac-
voted 3-1 Friday to remove of Christ for a meeting dent Joe Biden and Harris political yard signs. Repub- tion. q