Concerned about Israel's recent attack on Lebanon, the United States is preparing for the evacuation of its citizens from Lebanon

On June 28, according to NBC coverage, three U.S. defense officials and a former U.S. official familiar with the plans said that as the fighting between Israel and Hezbollah intensifies, the Pentagon is moving U.S. military assets closer to Israel and Lebanon in order to prepare for the evacuation of Americans. Marines from the amphibious assault ship USS Wasp and Expeditionary Force 24, which has special operations capabilities, entered the Mediterranean on Wednesday to rendezvous with the landing ship USS Oak Hill and another amphibious readiness fleet, according to the U.S. Marine Corps. The Wasp will operate in the eastern Mediterranean in preparation for military-assisted evacuations and other missions, officials said. A U.S. official familiar with the plans said the Wasp and the Marine Expeditionary Force also intend to project military power and serve as a deterrent to regional escalation. The officials said the U.S. < b > is increasingly concerned that Israel will launch airstrikes and ground attacks on Lebanon in the coming weeks .