House Foreign Affairs Committee Chair Michael McCaul has announced that his committee is drafting legislation to green light US military force in the Middle East should the conflict between Hamas and Israel spreads.
McCaul first told CNN on Monday of the draft Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF) “in the event it’s necessary” due to a wider proxy war with Iran.
The Texas Republican would not say if the White House had requested the committee to draw up the AUMF.
“I don’t want to confirm that. It’s just that there is concern …. we’re currently drafting one in the event it’s necessary,” he said.
The Mail Online reports: He also told CNN he hoped the U.S. wouldn’t have to put boots on the ground.
‘I hope I never have to mark this bill up,’ McCaul said. ‘But we have a situation in the Middle East that’s growing day by day with intensity and if Hezbollah gets involved, Iran has already threatened if Gaza is, you know, if Israel goes, you know, if [Israel Defense Force] goes into Gaza that they’re gonna come out.’
Hezbollah is the Iran-backed Lebanese militant group that has been exchanging fire with Israel at the country’s northern border.
Sources told Reuters that last week’s Hezbollah attacks had, so far, been designed to be contained to avoid another major war.
Israel’s defense minister expressed Sunday that Israel had no interest in waging a war on its northern border.
At the same time, the Pentagon has reportedly selected 2,000 troops for a deployment to the Middle East, with officials saying Monday that they would serve in a medical or advisory role and not engaged in combat.
Additionally, the Pentagon sent a second carrier strike group, centered around the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower aircraft carrier, toward the eastern Mediterranean on Friday.
A carrier strike group is a naval force comprised of an aircraft carrier at its center, as well as support ships and attack submarines.