As the growing conflict between Israel and Hamas continues to dominate headlines, the U.S. Navy recently ordered three warships to stand on alert off the Israeli coast as a precaution. Though just a safety measure, the three ships will be able to respond quickly to an emergency, according to Stars and Stripes.
The order is a change of plans for the USS Iwo Jima, the USS New York and the USS Gunston Hall, which were all set to return to the United States by the end of November. Instead, the 2,300 Marines and sailors on the trio of vessels will stay off the coast of Israel until further notice.
The latest conflict between the two groups was sparked by the assassination of a Hamas leader more than a week ago. So far, 100 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip have been killed and at least three Israeli civilians are dead.
The move by the Navy is not an unusual one for the Armed Forces to make. Earlier this year, the U.S. sent about 150 troops to the Jordanian capital in response to the growing civil conflict in Syria, according to The Associated Press.