According to reports, the Pentagon has selected some 2,000 troops to prepare for a deployment to assist Israel as a second carrier strike group steams for the eastern Mediterranean.
According to officials, the troops will not be involved in fighting but will instead provide medical support or advice.
The USS Dwight D. Eisenhower strike group, which deployed from Norfolk, Virginia, on Friday, is on its way, according to the Department of Defense.
She will join the USS Gerald R. Ford, which landed last week off the coast of Israel.
The presence of two of the Navy’s most powerful warships will send a strong signal to Iran and its regional proxies, such as Hezbollah, that the fight will not be escalated.
It comes as Israel continues to deploy troops and military equipment to the Gaza Strip, from where Hamas gunmen launched a surprise attack on Israel, killing at least 1,300 people.
According to officials reported by the Wall Street Journal, 2,000 troops are being prepared to deploy, indicating that Washington is prepared to support Israeli troops in the event of a ground assault of Gaza.
President Joe Biden canceled plans to fly to Colorado on Monday to make a speech on “Bidenomics.”
Instead, he met with senior national security officials.
‘This morning, President Biden and Vice President Harris were informed by their national security team on the latest developments in the aftermath of Hamas’s heinous attack on Israel and the ensuing battle in Gaza,’ a White House official said.
‘Chief of Staff Jeff Zients attended the briefing, which was led by National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan, Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines, and Central Intelligence Agency Director Bill Burns.’
Western leaders have joined forces to encourage Israel to uphold international law and avoid sparking a larger regional conflict.
According to a report, Iran informed Israel via the UN that it would interfere if activities in Gaza persisted, as Israel prepared a ‘broad range of offensive operational options,’ including a ‘joint and coordinated attack [on Gaza] from the air, sea, and land.’
According to diplomatic sources, while Iran does not want the crisis to expand, it is prepared to act directly or indirectly, such as through a military organization in Syria or Lebanon.
