(NewsNation) — The Pentagon confirmed Tuesday that roughly 2,000 troops were put on a “heightened state of readiness” through a prepare-to-deploy order as the Israel-Hamas war continues.
A “prepare to deploy” order increases the Department of Defense’s ability to respond quickly to the “evolving security environment” in the Middle East, Deputy Press Secretary Sabrina Singh said in a statement, though she added that no official decisions have been made to deploy any forces at this time.
“The Secretary will continue to assess our force posture and remain in close contact with allies and partners,” Singh said of Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin.
The Wall Street Journal, which first reported the information this week, said the U.S. troops aren’t intended to serve in combat and would instead be tasked with missions like advising and medical support.
In another show of support, Austin also approved a deployment extension for the Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group, which he had sent to the Eastern Mediterranean after the attack by Hamas on Israel last week.
The Gerald R. Ford group, nearing the end of its six-month deployment to the U.S. European Command area of responsibility, was recently joined by the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower Strike Group in a show of America’s military might.
Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack in Israel killed more than 1,400 people, mostly civilians, and the militant group took 200 hostage. Gaza’s Health Ministry says at least 2,778 Palestinians have been killed and 9,700 wounded. Another 1,200 people across Gaza are believed to be buried, some alive, under the rubble of buildings hit by Israeli airstrikes that have leveled large swaths of neighborhoods.
On Tuesday, the Associated Press reported that Israel bombed areas of southern Gaza it had told Palestinians to evacuate ahead of an expected ground invasion, killing dozens.
U.N. spokesperson Stephane Dujarric had warned it would be impossible to stage such an evacuation without “devastating humanitarian consequences,” especially as a siege by Israel has sealed off food, water, electricity and medical supplies from Gaza.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken reportedly was able to secure an agreement with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to discuss the creation of a mechanism for delivering aid to the territory, though this deal was still not in place as of late Tuesday.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.