The US has steadily bolstered its military presence in the Middle East region ever since the war between Israel and Hamas broke out in October 2023. Pentagon has deployed about 40,000 forces, at least a dozen warships and four fighter jet squadrons spread across the region. These forces are aimed to both protect allies and to serve as a deterrent against attacks, several US officials told Associated Press.As attacks between Israel and Hezbollah sharply spike, worries are growing that the conflict could escalate into an all-out war. Hezbollah says Israel crossed a “red line” with explosive attacks on its communications devices. The Iran-backed Lebanese militant outfit has vowed to keep up the missile strikes on northern Israel.On its part, Israel has declared the start of a “new phase” of the war, shifting its focus to the northern front against Hezbollah.The US hasn’t signaled a troop increase or change of its force posture as a result of the latest attacks. However, analysts say that there is already a beefed-up American force in the region.