With Israel’s killing of Hezbollah leader Hasan Nasrallah, the Pentagon is bracing for retaliatory action from Tehran’s network of militias and militant groups.

Washington – The U.S. has kept an increased military presence in the Middle East throughout much of the past year, with about 40,000 forces, at least a dozen warships and four Air Force fighter jet squadrons spread across the region both to protect allies and to serve as a deterrent against attacks, several U.S. officials said.