British troops are still on the ground training the Lebanese armed forces - despite rising tensions and casualties which could put the region on course for a "doomsday" scenario. Dozens of UK personnel are thought to be on the ground in Lebanon on a sensitive deployment to train the country's army,

There have been no changes to the scale of the program in recent days despite the risk of all-out war. The scheme is led by the U.S. and considers how to prevent an escalation of skirmishes between Israel and Hezbollah.

The US is sending a small number of additional troops to the Middle East given escalating tensions between Israel and Lebanon's Hezbollah, the Pentagon said.