2,000 U.S. troops have been told to get ready to deploy

"About 2,000 U.S. troops have been told to get ready to deploy in anticipation of the ground

offensive. The American soldiers would not be sent to Israel but could be assigned to other countries in the region for support roles such as medical assistance or providing security at gate crossings.....Hamas said it's holding 200 to 250 hostages − the upper end is about 50 more than previously believed − and added that it would release the non-Israeli ones when it was feasible. And Hezbollah said its fighters targeted five Israeli posts along the Lebanese border." USAT