Biden orders Pentagon to review US military's status in Middle East

President Joe Biden has directed the Pentagon to review the US military's posture in Middle East amid Israeli attacks on Lebanon, the White House said on Friday.

In a statement, the presidential mansion said Biden "has been briefed several times today by his national security team on the latest developments in the Middle East."

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

The US president has also directed his team to ensure that US embassies in the region take all protective measures as appropriate, it added.

On Friday evening, Israeli jets conducted several heavy airstrikes on Beirut's southern suburbs, claiming to have hit the main headquarters of the Lebanese group Hezbollah.

Following the airstrike, Israeli media said the army was verifying whether Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah was inside the targeted area.

Lebanon's Health Ministry reported that six people were killed and 91 others were injured as a result of the strikes.

Hezbollah is yet to comment on the attack.

Israel has pounded Lebanon since Monday morning, killing over 700 people and injuring nearly 2,200 others, according to figures released by the Lebanese Health Ministry.

The ministry also said that the death toll in Lebanon since last October is 1,540, in addition to more than 77,000 displaced from southern and eastern parts of the country.

Hezbollah and Israel have been engaged in cross-border warfare since the start of Israel's war on Gaza, which has killed more than 41,500 people, mostly women and children, following a cross-border attack by Hamas last Oct. 7.

The international community has warned against the strikes on Lebanon, as they raise the specter of turning the Gaza conflict into a regional war.