From the Liveblog of
Tuesday, October 17, 2023
White House: 2,000 US troops preparing for Mideast deployment to ‘send signal of deterrence’
The US military orders 2,000 personnel to prepare for deployment to the Middle East as a show of force amid the escalating conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin says the deployment will allow the United States “to respond more quickly” to the crisis, while the White House stresses it does not intend to put US combat forces on the ground.
National Security Council spokesman John Kirby says preparing the troops for deployment “is really about sending a signal of deterrence.”
“We don’t want to see this conflict escalate and widen,” Kirby says on CNN. “There are no plans or intentions to put US boots on the ground in combat in Israel.”
US media reports the troops being readied for deployment would cover support roles, such as medical assistance and handling explosives.
