Israel-Hamas war: Is the US sending troops to the Middle East?

(NewsNation) — The United States hasn’t sent its military to serve in combat as the Israel-Hamas war continues, but recently announced plans to up its presence in the Middle East.

“Following detailed discussions with President Joe Biden on recent escalations by Iran and its proxy forces across the Middle East region, today I directed a series of additional steps to further strengthen the Department of Defense posture in the region,” Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said Saturday.

Austin said Sunday on ABC’s “This Week” that there have been attacks against U.S. bases housing troops in Iraq and Syria. Press Secretary Air Force Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder confirmed this Tuesday, saying U.S. and coalition forces have been attacked at least 10 separate times in Iraq and three in Syria with drones and rockets.

“What we’re seeing is a prospect of a significant escalation of attacks on our troops and our people throughout the region,” Austin said. “Because of that, we’re going to do what’s necessary to make sure that our troops are in a good position, and they’re protected, and that we have the ability to respond.”

Secretary of State Antony Blinken, speaking at the United Nations Security Council, said Iran has supported Hamas, Hezbollah and other groups attacking Israel, though the U.S. does not seek conflict with the country.

“We do not want this war to widen. But if Iran or its proxies attack U.S. personnel anywhere, make no mistake, we will defend our people,” he said in front of the Security Council Tuesday. “We will defend our security swiftly and decisively.”

Strengthening the Defense Department’s posture in the Middle East sends a message to those who want to escalate the conflict, Austin said Sunday.

“Our advice is: Don’t,” Austin said.

Recent developments include:

• Redirecting the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group to join the USS Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea
• Deploying a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense battery and additional Patriot battalions to locations in the Middle East
• Putting additional forces on “Prepare to deploy orders”

About 2,000 troops had already been put under prepare to deploy orders as the Israel-Hamas war escalated.

Such an order better positions the U.S. Department of Defense to respond to the rapidly evolving security environment in the Middle East, Deputy Press Secretary Sabrina Singh said in a statement.

This does not mean that there has been a decision to actually deploy the U.S. forces yet.

Should they take a more involved role, it would likely consist of advising and medical support, as the Wall Street Journal first reported last week.

On Oct. 9, John Kirby, the National Security Council’s spokesperson, said there was “no intention to put US boots on the ground,” at the time, CNN reported.

Israel forces kept bombarding Gaza on Tuesday ahead of an expected ground invasion.

Gaza’s Health Ministry says at least 5,791 Palestinians have been killed and 16,297 wounded since Oct. 7, while in the West Bank, 96 Palestinians have been killed and 1,650 wounded.

More than 40% of the 5,700 reported killed in Gaza have been children.

Rescuers on video and photos from The Associated Press could be seen digging through rubble to unearth small bodies from the ruins of collapsed homes and buildings in Gaza. About 2.3 million people in the territory are running out of food, water and medicine since Israel sealed off supplies to Gaza following Hamas’ attack on Oct. 7.

The U.N. health agency Tuesday called for an immediate humanitarian cease-fire so they could distribute fuel and essential, life-saving health supplies to people in Gaza, including to major hospitals in the strip’s northern half.

“For people in the Gaza Strip, the situation is desperate. It will become catastrophic without the safe and continuous passage of fuel and health supplies, and additional humanitarian assistance,” the World Health Organization said in a statement.

In Israel, more than1,400 people in Israel have been killed, mostly civilians who died in the initial Hamas rampage.

Another 222 people including foreigners were believed captured by Hamas during the incursion, according to Israel’s military. So far, four of them have been released.

NewsNation’s Margot Mather and The Associated Press contributed to this report.