U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has put in "be ready to deploy" orders for a select number of American troops should Israel need them, an official told Fox News.
The Wall Street Journal reported that around 2,000 troops were selected this weekend, but that number has not been confirmed. It is also unclear which exact units were chosen, or under which circumstances they could be deployed.
The news comes as the Biden administration has continually expressed support for Israel after the country was attacked by Hamas terrorists on October 7.
"We must be crystal clear: We stand with Israel," Biden said during a speech last week. "We stand with Israel. And we will make sure Israel has what it needs to take care of its citizens, defend itself and respond to this attack."
Fox News' Liz Friden and Brandon Gillespie contributed to this report.
Posted by Andrea Vacchiano
https://www.foxnews.com/live-news/october-16-2023-israel-hamas-war
