Biden ready to 'adjust' US forces in Mideast amid tensions - White House

State Department says diplomats' families ordered to leave Lebanon

By AFP - Sep 28,2024 - Last updated at Sep 28,2024

Smoke rises over Beirut's southern suburbs during Israeli strikes on September 28, 2024 (AFP photo)

WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden ordered US forces in the Middle East to be adjusted "as necessary," the White House said Friday, after Israel launched a wave of strikes on Lebanon's capital Beirut targeting Hizbollah's headquarters.

"He has directed the Pentagon to assess and adjust as necessary US force posture in the region to enhance deterrence, ensure force protection, and support the full range of US objectives," the White House said in a statement.

Biden also ordered US embassies in the region to "take all protective measures as appropriate," it said.

The US president, who traveled to his beach house in Delaware on Friday, had been briefed several times by his national security team, the White House added.

Biden had earlier confirmed that "the United States had no knowledge of or participation in the [Israeli] action," adding in remarks to reporters that, "We're gathering information."

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin also said the US had no advance knowledge, adding that he had spoken by phone with his Israeli counterpart Yoav Gallant "while Israel's operation was already underway".

A US official separately said Israel told Washington "once the operation was already ongoing and they had planes in the air."

Israeli television networks reported that Hizbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah was the target of the strike, though a source close to Hezbollah said he was "fine".

The US State Department on Saturday ordered the families of embassy personnel in Beirut to leave the country and authorized the departure of some staff, as the Israel-Hezbollah conflict escalates.

The department ordered the departure "due to the increased volatility following airstrikes within Beirut and the volatile and unpredictable security situation throughout Lebanon," it said. All US citizens were urged to leave "while commercial options still remain available."

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