What actions led to the deployment of Fort Liberty troops to the Middle East
Since the creation of Israel in 1948, tensions have been high along the Gaza Strip.
After winning the 2006 parliamentary elections in the region, Hamas seized control in 2007 from the Palestinian Authority, while Israel created economic and physical blockades to isolate Hamas, restricting goods from many Palestinians in the area.
On Oct. 7 Hamas militants, which U.S. officials have said are not representative of the Palestinian people, launched a surprise attack, storming the Gaza Strip and attacking and killing more than 1,200 Israelis during a major Jewish holiday.
Israeli Defense Forces mounted a swift response, triggering a war between the nation and Hamas.
Meanwhile, in the weeks since the attack, U.S. officials have denounced the Hamas attack, saying Israel has the right to defend itself and that the U.S. would support them.
Here’s a look at what’s happened in the past month in the Israel-Hamas war and separately in the Middle East, that has led up to Fort Liberty troops being tapped for involvement.
Oct. 7
White House officials announced at 2:30 a.m. that rocket attacks were launched by Hamas on the blockaded Gaza Strip in Israel.
Repeating Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, a U.S. senior administration official said during a press call that "Israel is at war.'"
The official said the U.S. stands with Israel calling Hamas “terrorists."
“What we’ve seen today is really an unprecedented assault, particularly these incursions into Israeli cities and literally murdering people, including families in their homes, taking hostages — including, we believe, children — out of their homes,” the official said.
Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin issued a statement saying the U.S. was committed to “Israel’s right to defend itself,” and that the Department of Defense would ensure Israel “ has what it needs to defend itself and protect civilians from indiscriminate violence and terrorism.”
Oct. 8
Austin announced that the DOD would send the USS Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group to the Eastern Mediterranean along with guided missile cruiser USS Normandy and four guided missile destroyers “to bolster regional deterrence efforts.”
Austin said fighter aircraft squadrons in the region would be augmented and that the U.S. would provide Israel Defense Forces additional equipment and resources, including munitions.
Oct. 9
In a statement, President Joe Biden said at least 11 Americans were among those killed in Israel, while other American citizens were unaccounted for and it was likely that some were held hostage by Hamas.
Biden said he directed his team to work with Israeli counterparts to include sharing intelligence and “deploying experts from across the United States government to consult with and advise Israeli counterparts on hostage recovery efforts.”
Oct. 10
During a press briefing, National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said the U.S. has no intention of putting military “boots on the ground,” but that the U.S. has changed its force posture in the Mediterranean region to send a message that America is ready to protect its citizens, troops and national security interests.
Biden announced that at least 1,000 civilians were killed in Hamas’ attack on Jewish people.
The president further said that Hamas “does not stand for the Palestinian people’s right to dignity and self-determination" and used “Palestinian civilians as human shields.” He warned other nations and groups to not take advantage of the conflict.
In a statement, Austin said that while the DOD did not know how many potential American hostages there were, he offered Israel Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant assistance from special operators and the intelligence community in planning and developing intelligence.
Oct. 11
During roundtable remarks with Jewish community leaders, Biden said officials were “working on every aspect of the hostage crisis in Israel,” including “deploying experts to advise and assist with recovery efforts.”
During a news conference, Austin said the USS Gerald R. Ford Strike Group arrived in the eastern Mediterranean, while Air Force fighter squadrons were extended to the region.
Austin said the U.S. would provide more Iron Dome interceptors so that Israel could protect its citizens and cities.
Oct. 12
During a news briefing, a senior defense official said that while there was no intention of putting U.S. forces on the ground in Israel, military personnel were supporting the U.S. Central Command in advising and consulting on hostage recovery efforts.
Oct. 13
Austin traveled to Israel to meet with Prime Minister Netanyahu, Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant, and the Israeli War Cabinet to reiterate the U.S. presence in the region for deterrence.
During a news conference, Gallant announced it was receiving a second aircraft with munition for the Israeli Defense Force.
Oct. 14
Austin announced that the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group would join the USS Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group in the eastern Mediterranean, along with the guided-missile cruiser USS Philippine Sea, another two guided-missile destroyers and Carrier Air Wing 3, with nine aircraft squadrons and headquarters staffs.
Oct. 15
In a statement, Biden said he was sickened to learn about the slaying of a 6-year-old Palestinian Muslim child a day earlier in Illinois. The child's landlord stands accused of being motivated by his "hatred of Muslims" when he stabbed the child 26 times and injured his mother.
Biden said Americans “must come together and reject Islamophobia and all forms of bigotry and hatred.”
Oct. 17
Pentagon spokeswoman Sabrina Singh announced that 2,000 service members from “a range of units” were placed on a prepare-to-deploy order to quickly respond to “the evolving security environment in the Middle East” if needed.
During a news conference, Singh said that if the president made the decision, air defense, security logistics, medical, intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance and transportation would be able to rapidly deploy into the theater.
Singh said the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit would deploy to the region.
During a press meeting, Kirby and Whitehouse spokeswoman Karine Jean Pierre reported that the death toll of Americans in Israel was 31, while 13 were unaccounted for.
Oct. 18
Biden visited Israel, with Prime Minister Netanyahu recognizing him as the first American president to visit the country during a time of war.
In remarks later during the day, Biden reiterated that “the vast majority of Palestinians are not Hamas.”
In a news release, the DOD said Austin called for the militant Lebanese Hezbollah to cease its attacks on Israel from southern Lebanon.
Oct. 19
During a news conference, Pentagon spokesman Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder said that the USS Carney crew in the northern Red Sea shot down three land-attack cruise missiles and several drones that were launched by Yemen's Houthi militia. Ryder said there were no causalities to American forces and no known causalities of civilians.
Ryder also reported that U.S. troops at the al-Tanf garrison in Syria were targeted by two drones Oct. 19. U.S. and coalition forces destroyed one drone, while the other drone impacted the base resulting in minor injuries to coalition forces.
Ryder said, that same morning, Iraq's early warning systems indicated a possible threat approaching the Al-Assad Airbase in Iraq where U.S. troops are staged. He said there was other drone activity Oct. 17 Al-Assad Airbase and another in northern Iraq near Bashur Air Base.
Oct. 20
Biden announced that two Americans taken hostage by Hamas during the Oct. 7 attack were released. He credited Israel and Qatar in helping with the release.
Oct. 21
Austin announced that because of recent escalations by Iran and “its proxy forces” across the Middle East, he would increase troops in the region.
Austin said he redirected the movement of the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group to the Central Command area of responsibility in addition to the USS Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group, which is currently operating in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea. He also announced the deployment of a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense battery along with additional Patriot battalions to locations throughout the region to increase force protection for U.S. forces.
Oct. 23
During a news conference, a senior defense official said American forces in Iraq and Syria are there to support local partners “who are in the lead to achieve the enduring defeat of ISIS.”
The senior defense official said Iran is funding, equipping, guiding, and directing Lebanese Hezbollah, militia groups in Iraq and Syria, and the Houthis in Yemen.
A senior military official said that attacks had increased during the past few days and that forces were being repostured due to attacks against U.S. forces and there had been concerns in the U.S. government about “escalation of these attacks in the days ahead.”
“Let's be clear about it, the road leads back to Iran,” the senior defense official said. “Iran funds, arms, equips and trains militias and proxy forces, all across the region that have consistently undermined the stability, cost in civilian life, and at a cost the entire region of security and stability.”
He said American forces reserve the right to defend themselves and are in Iraq at the invitation of the Iraqi government to support Iraqi Security Forces who are leading efforts to defeat the terrorist group Daesh.
During a news conference, Kirby said American officials don’t want to see any actor take advantage of the situation in Israel, which is why naval forces, air defense systems and aircraft squadrons were added to the region.
“It’s all about preventing war,” Kirby said.
Oct. 24
During a news conference, Ryder said that the New Jersey Air National Guard's 119th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron arrived within U.S. Central Command’s area of responsibility with an additional F-16 fighting Falcon squadron.
He said unsuccessful attacks by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and Iranian regime on U.S. forces in Iraq and Syria continued.
“What we are seeing is the prospect for more significant escalation against U.S. forces and personnel across the region in the very near-term coming from Iranian proxy forces and ultimately from Iran," he said. "We are preparing for this escalation, both in terms of defending our forces and responding decisively."
Ryder said U.S. troops also in the process of deploying include a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense battery from Fort Bliss, Texas, and Patriot battalions from Fort Liberty and Fort Sill, Oklahoma.
What's going on in Israel? As aid arrives in Gaza, the deadly war with Hamas, explained
A look at Gaza, the 140-square-mile strip at the core of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict
Israeli forces prepare for a ground war against Hamas in Gaza. Here's what to know
Oct. 26
During a news conference, Ryder said 900 troops have deployed to CENTCOM’s area of responsibility. He said those troops, including the one from Fort Liberty, are not going to Israel and “are intended to support regional deterrence efforts and further bolster U.S. force protection capabilities.”
While officials had initially said 2,000 troops were ready to deploy, Ryder said that figure will “continue to fluctuate.”
Austin announced that at President Biden’s direction, U.S. forces conducted self-defense strikes on two facilities in eastern Syria used by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and affiliated groups.
“These precision self-defense strikes are a response to a series of ongoing and mostly unsuccessful attacks against U.S. personnel in Iraq and Syria by Iranian-backed militia groups that began on Oct. 17,” Austin said.
He said 21 Americans suffered from minor injuries and have since returned to duty.
Austin said the U.S. does not seek conflict and has no intention of engaging in further hostilities.
“If attacks by Iran’s proxies against U.S. forces continue, we will not hesitate to take further necessary measures to protect our people,” he said.
Staff writer Rachael Riley can be reached at rriley@fayobserver.com or 910-486-3528.
USA Today reporter Anna Kaufman and the Associated Press contributed to this report.