WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Defense has issued prepare-to-deploy orders for roughly 2,000 Marines and Army soldiers who could be sent to the eastern Mediterranean to assist in possible evacuation and humanitarian operations if fighting in Gaza and across the region widens, according to senior defense officials.
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin signed the orders late Monday after consultations with the National Security Council and regional commanders, the officials said Tuesday. While no final decision to move the troops has been made, planners were told to be ready to sustain a ground presence for “several weeks” should allies request help moving civilians or securing aid corridors.
The troops on alert include elements of the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Bataan in the eastern Mediterranean and an Army rapid-response battalion currently training in Kuwait, two officials with direct knowledge of the planning told reporters on condition of anonymity because details remain sensitive.
“Our objective is to have credible options on the table should the situation deteriorate,” a senior Pentagon official said. “These forces would focus on force protection, medical support and the facilitation of humanitarian relief. They are not being positioned for combat operations inside Gaza.”
The deployment concept surfaced after weekend strikes by Iranian-backed groups against U.S. positions in Iraq and Syria and Israel’s continued preparations for a possible ground offensive in Gaza. President Joe Biden has ruled out sending American combat troops into the enclave but has said the United States will “do what is necessary” to protect its personnel and support regional partners.
Austin spoke by phone Tuesday with Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, reiterating Washington’s “ironclad” commitment to Israel’s security while urging steps to minimize civilian harm, the Pentagon said in a readout. He also consulted with Egyptian and Qatari counterparts about potential maritime or land corridors for aid deliveries.
Analysts say the alert order underscores growing concern that the conflict could spill over. “Having Marines offshore gives Washington flexibility. It’s also a signal to Iran and Hezbollah that the U.S. is prepared to safeguard its interests,” said Becca Wasser, a defense scholar at the Center for a New American Security.
If executed, the mission would mark the first sizable U.S. ground presence in the Gaza theater since 2005. Officials stressed that any deployment would require host-nation consent and could be terminated quickly if security conditions improve.
For now, the Pentagon is expected to review the posture daily, with Austin receiving an updated risk assessment ahead of next week’s NATO defense ministers’ meeting in Brussels.