US military prepares for possible Israel deployment amid Gaza war: Report

If deployed, the troops would not be used for combat but would be assigned to advise and offer medical support to their Israeli counterparts, among other tasks, the newspaper said.

The Joe Biden administration has repeatedly said it has no plans for putting “US boots on the ground” in the Israel-Hamas war.

“What we have done is sent experts from across our government to the region to consult and advise with their Israeli counterparts,” White House Principal Deputy National Security Advisor Jon Finer told MSNBC last week.

National Security Council spokesman John Kirby also told reporters at the White House on Thursday no American troops will be deployed to Israel.

“We have national security interests throughout the region,” Kirby said at the daily press briefing, referring to the deployment of a carrier strike group to the eastern Mediterranean, but quashed any rumors of airborne troops or Marines being sent to Israel.

“The Israelis have made it very clear that they don’t want foreign troops on their soil, that they want to prosecute these operations on their own and they have every right to want to do that,” Kirby added.

“There are no intentions, no plans to put American troops on the ground in combat.”

Reports have suggested that there was no change in Israeli regime’s plans to launch a major ground offensive into Gaza despite warnings by governments and experts that the move could cause the conflict to spiral out of control and would result in more deaths among the Palestinians.

The plans come as Israel has maintained a crippling blockade against Gaza by cutting food, water and electricity supplies to people living there.