(IntegrityPress.org) – If U.S. troop deployments are a harbinger of things to come, the Middle East may be about to get bloodier than it already has. After Hamas executed around 1,300 Israelis and then fled back to their narrow strip of territory with around 200 hostages in tow, President Joe Biden ordered an aircraft carrier battle group to the region.
Not long after that, reports began circulating that “tier 1” special operators from Seal Team 6 and Delta Force had been placed on standby in Europe. Both outfits would potentially be tasked with hostage rescue operations in the Gaza Strip, according to what officials said at the time.
Shortly after that, the Defense Department announced that a second carrier group was headed to within striking range of targets adjacent to Israel. On October 15, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin ordered 2,000 select troops to prepare for a possible Middle Eastern deployment.
The troops in question will reportedly not be sent with the intent of engaging in combat operations and will instead be tasked with logistical, medical and intelligence support. Readers may note that for traditional ground forces to qualify as having actually deployed, they are required to step foot in their respective host country.
Among the troops who have been ordered to Israeli waters are a contingent of Marines. The outfit is not currently sitting in the United States waiting to do anything. They are already reportedly en route to the Middle East aboard an amphibious assault ship, or the U.S. Marine Corps equivalent of a Navy aircraft carrier.
For those unfamiliar, the vessel is still a fully functioning, albeit smaller, ship with the ability to launch and land a host of fighter jets. What sets it aside is its purpose. The small floating city can carry almost 1,900 Marines and is designed for launching beach assaults.
On October 17, Iran’s foreign minister tweeted “time is up.”
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