WASHINGTON: The United States military has ordered 2,000 personnel to prepare for deployment to the Middle East as a demonstration of force amid the intensifying conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin announced the move, emphasizing that the deployment aims to enable a quicker response to the crisis. The White House clarified that this action does not intend to involve US combat forces on the ground in Israel.
National Security Council spokesman John Kirby explained that preparing the troops for deployment serves as a signal of deterrence. “We do not want to see this conflict escalate and widen. There are no plans or intentions to deploy US forces on the ground in combat in Israel,” Kirby stated during an interview on CNN.
The decision to deploy the troops comes as President Joe Biden is set to visit Israel on Wednesday to reaffirm Washington’s support for its close ally.
Israel’s Relentless Bombardment on Gaza
Since October 7, Israel launched air strikes that have martyred over 2,700 innocent Palestinian people, the majority of whom were civilians. The situation has been further complicated by the Israeli siege on Gaza and the deployment of tens of thousands of Israeli troops at the border in preparation for a potential ground offensive.
The United States had previously deployed two aircraft carriers to the region in a show of support for Israel, as confirmed by Defense Secretary Austin last week.
