U.S. troops ordered to be ready to deploy for Israel support

The U.S. military on Monday ordered 2,000 troops to be prepared to head to the Middle East in support of Israel after the militant group Hamas conducted a surprise attack against the country on Oct. 7. The troops would serve in roles that could include providing support in areas such as security, medical response, or explosive ordnance. The conflict has claimed thousands of lives and injured thousands more. The White House has already reported that it has delivered, and will continue to deliver, military aid to Israel.

What’s going on in Israel? Israeli forces on Monday were preparing to launch a ground invasion of Gaza, where Hamas is based. Iran warned Israel against doing the invasion, saying the Lebanon-based militant group Hezbollah would then enter the conflict. Israel has warned Hezbollah against entering the conflict, saying it should watch what is happening to Hamas.

Dig deeper: Read Carolina Lumetta’s report in The Stew about how Israel’s war affects U.S. foreign policy.