The US has put its troops on alert given the escalation of violence in the Middle East, while a force of about 2,000 troops of the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) is heading to the sea area off Israel and Gaza in a show of force by Washington to prevent an escalation of the war.
Some 2,000 troops are currently being prepared for a potential deployment to support Israel, the Wall Street Journal, CNN, and NBC News, among others, reported, citing unnamed sources in the US Department of Defense.
There has been no official confirmation of this yet. According to the reports, the US soldiers will likely be tasked with missions like advising and medical support. The Wall Street Journal reported that they were not intended to serve in a combat role.
These US soldiers are stationed both in the Middle East and abroad, including in Europe. According to NBC News, they will not necessarily be deployed to Israel or Gaza, but to neighboring countries to support Israel in the fight against Hamas.
The Republican chairman of the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee, Michael McCall, told CNN that as he was informed by the White House, this deployment of soldiers is for a deterrent purpose and not a combat mission. He did not give details but said he was informed by the White House. The U.S. government recently announced that it has no plans to send ground troops to Israel.