Israel is now fighting on 3 fronts as airstrikes and violence escalate across the Palestinian territories, Lebanon, and Syria
- Israel is now waging war on three fronts — the Palestinian territories, Lebanon, and Syria.
- As the conflict spreads, the US is beefing up its military presence in the region.
Following the Palestinian militant group Hamas' attacks on Israel on October 7, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared war on the group.
Now, that conflict is spilling over into the neighboring countries of Lebanon and Syria as Israel ramps up airstrikes on the two Arab states.
The US has sent more military assets to the region to bolster Israel's forces following what US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin called "recent escalations by Iran and its proxy forces."
Hezbollah, a militant group backed by Iran, has been fighting Israeli forces on Lebanon's northern border with Israel.
The day after Israel declared war, Hezbollah launched dozens of rockets on Israeli positions to support "Palestinian resistance."
Israel also targeted Damascus and Aleppo international airports in Syria, where Iran maintains a military presence. The strikes reportedly killed two workers.
Austin told ABC News' "This Week" program: "We're concerned about potential escalation. In fact, what we're seeing ... is a prospect of a significant escalation of attacks on our troops and our people throughout the region. And because of that, we're going to do what's necessary to make sure that our troops are ... in a good position, and they're protected, and that we have the ability to respond."
Washington will also send more troops and a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system and additional Patriot air defense missile system battalions to Israel, Austin also said, per Reuters.
Israel has been amassing troops and equipment near the border with Gaza ahead of its expected ground invasion of the territory.
Chief of the Israeli General Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi told troops: "We are going to go into the Gaza Strip ... to destroy Hamas operatives and Hamas infrastructure."
The Palestinian death toll in Gaza has exceeded 4,300 after Israel laid a "total siege" on the strip, the Hamas-run Health Ministry said, The Associated Press reported.
Violence has also escalated in the West Bank, with over 90 Palestinians reported to have been killed in the area since the start of the war.