About 2,000 US troops have been told to prepare for a possible deployment to the Middle East in support of Israel’s war against Hamas terrorists.
The notification does not mean that the team will definitely be sent to the troubled region, only that they should be prepared to leave it at short notice if their presence is deemed necessary.
It was not immediately clear what circumstances necessitated the deployment.
A Pentagon official told The Post that orders to prepare to deploy had been sent, but declined to confirm the number of troops affected, which was reported by the Wall Street Journal.
No infantry troops are among those affected by the potential mission and the force will be assigned roles such as advising Israeli forces and providing medical support rather than participating in any combat.
The selected forces are from all branches of the US armed services and are currently deployed in and outside the Middle East, including in Europe, according to the Journal.
The aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford refuels from the underway fueling company USNS Laramie in the eastern Mediterranean Sea, Oct. 11. 2023. AP Super Hornets attached to Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 8 fly in formation aboard the world’s largest aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford’s flight deck (CVN 78) in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea, October 13, 2023. US NAVY/AFP via Getty Images
President Biden reiterated on Sunday that the US would show “unwavering” support to the Jewish state as it prepares for a ground invasion of the Gaza Strip in an effort to rescue hostages and eradicate the jihadist group following its October 7 attack. southern Israel that claimed more than 1,300 lives — including 30 Americans.
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“This weekend, I contacted the Prime Minister again [Benjamin] Netanyahu to reiterate unwavering US support for Israel, and to provide an update on our military support and efforts to protect civilians,” Biden, 80, tweeted on Sunday.
“The time has come for all countries to firmly condemn Hamas as a terrorist organization that does not represent the aspirations of the Palestinian people.”
The F/A-18F Super Hornet is launched from the flight deck of the world’s largest aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea, October 11, 2023. US Department of Defense/AFP via Getty Images F/A-18 Super Hornets, continued Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 8, ready for flight operations on the flight deck of the world’s largest aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN) 78 in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea. US NAVY/AFP via Getty Images
Hamas is holding about 200 hostages, with about 50 other kidnap victims being held by “opposition factions and elsewhere,” a spokesman for the terror group said in a statement Monday. The Israel Defense Forces also said the number of hostages is at least 199 people.
The president and administration officials have noted several times that the US does not plan to put troops on the ground in Israel.
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“I don’t think that’s necessary,” Biden told CBS’ “60 Minutes” in an interview that aired Sunday night when asked about deploying American troops to support the IDF. “Israel has one of the best fighting forces in the country.”
The United States said on October 15, 2023 it feared an escalation of war between Israel and Hamas and the prospect of Iran becoming directly involved. US NAVY/AFP via Getty Images
“There is no intention to put US boots on the ground,” White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters last week.
“If we need to — and it’s an if — but if we need to go back to Capitol Hill to get additional funding support for Israel, we absolutely will,” Kirby added.
The first shipment of US weapons arrived in Israel last week, according to the IDF, which included an aircraft load of “advanced missiles” that would allow “significant strikes and preparations for additional scenarios” against Hamas, IDF spokesman Daniel Hagari said.
The US has also sent two carrier strike groups – the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group and the USS Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group – to the eastern Mediterranean Sea in an effort to deter attacks on Israel from hostile actors such as Iran.
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
