Photo: Riley Gasdia/US Navy/AP.
The Rapid Reaction Force, which will be deployed with 2,000 Marines and sailors, will join U.S. warships and forces already massed in Israel to help the U.S. government send a deterrent message to Iran and Lebanon’s Hezbollah militia, two defense officials said.
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin ordered 2,000 troops to prepare for possible deployment to Israel to assist with missions such as medical and logistics, several defense officials said Sunday morning.
These moves are aimed at preventing a major regional war. But they also risk forcing the US government deeper into a conflict where the Biden administration has been trying to avoid direct military action.
Officials have stressed that the United States has no intention of sending troops to fight in the conflict between Israel and Hamas, a conflict that Israeli officials have warned could be protracted.
But the plans and moves offer a glimpse into the kind of support the U.S. could provide, such as managing logistics behind the front lines and providing medical assistance. Such assistance could be especially valuable if Israel decides to invade Gaza, a decision that many experts have warned could be complicated and bloody.
These decisions also come as the US military is gradually strengthening its presence in the Middle East, including deploying an additional aircraft carrier to the Eastern Mediterranean, joining the USS Ford strike group there and sending more US Air Force fighter jets to the region.
Prepare to mobilize troops
The Pentagon has been cautious about comments surrounding the possibility of deploying US troops to Israel, as the Biden administration does not want to give the impression that the US military might intervene in a war in the region.
However, some preparations are being made to prepare some contingency plans in case the situation gets worse.
The 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), a unit that specializes in amphibious operations, crisis response, humanitarian assistance and other special operations, has been stationed near Kuwait for the past few weeks for routine training there. However, the unit has been removed from its post “due to recent events,” Capt. Angelica White, a spokeswoman for the unit, told the Marine Corps Times on Wednesday.
CNN has reported that the unit may be preparing for the possibility of needing to move to Israel.
Officials did not provide details about where the unit would be headed, only saying it would be headed toward Israel. One official said it would be headed toward Israel’s southern coast, which lies between the country’s two coastlines. The unit is aboard the USS Bataan, an amphibious assault ship currently in the Gulf of Oman. The USS Carter Hall, an amphibious assault ship that is docked with the USS Bataan, is also moving toward Israel.
The USS Bataan and the 26th MEU have been operating in the Middle East since August to deter Iranian aggression in the region's vital maritime zones, particularly the Gulf of Oman and the Strait of Hormuz.
Austin’s order to prepare for possible deployment does not mean that the troops will definitely be deployed, or that they will be involved in combat when deployed to Israel. However, the secretary’s decision does shorten the time that troops can be prepared if they are ordered to deploy.
The Wall Street Journal reported on the possibility of sending troops to Israel. Asked about the possibility of sending troops, Pentagon Deputy Press Secretary Sabrina Singh said on Monday: “I have no new information to provide at this time. I may have more details later, but I have no additional information to provide at this time.”
If troops are ordered to serve in a support role, retired Maj. Gen. James “Spider” Marks, a CNN military analyst, said they would be equipped to support Israeli forces in the most effective way. Part of the order could include a command and control element that helps manage supplies for logistical support, such as food, fuel, construction materials, etc. The deployment team would also likely include a combat ammunition unit that would help transport ammunition, as well as a liaison team from the Defense Logistics Agency that would help the Israeli military purchase weapons and make other key decisions.
Nguyen Quang Minh (according to CNN)
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