US sending more troops to Middle East as Israel-Hezbollah violence escalates

An Israeli Iron Dome air defence system fires to intercept rockets that were launched from Lebanon, in northern Israel (Baz Ratner/AP)

The US is sending additional troops to the Middle East during a sharp spike in violence between Israel and Hezbollah forces in Lebanon that has raised the risk of a greater regional war, the Pentagon has said.

Pentagon press secretary Major General Pat Ryder would provide no details on how many additional forces or what they would be tasked to do as the announcement came on Monday.