Pentagon Puts 2,000 Troops on ‘Prepare to Deploy Order’ in Middle East

U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin gave the order.

Israeli soldiers are positioned outside kibbutz Beeri near the border with the Gaza Strip on Oct. 15, 2023. Jack Guez/AFP via Getty Images

The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) is preparing troops to deploy to the Middle East as the war between Israel and Hamas continues, the Pentagon said on Oct. 17.

U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin “placed approximately 2,000 personnel and a range of units on a heightened state of readiness through a prepare to deploy order,” Sabrina Singh, a Pentagon spokeswoman, said in a statement.