U.S. troops deployed inside Syria.   File photo

Washington, October 30 (RHC)-- In a report by the U.S. news agency CNN, roughly 900 U.S. troops have been deployed or are deploying to the Middle East amid heightened tensions in the region after a series of attacks on coalition bases that resulted in minor injuries for almost two dozen troops.

“These include forces that have been on prepare to deploy orders, and which are deploying from the continental United States,” Pentagon spokesman Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder told reporters.  “Deployed and deploying units include a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense battery from Fort Bliss Texas, Patriot batteries from Fort Sill, Oklahoma, Patriot and Avenger batteries from Fort Liberty, North Carolina, and associated air defense headquarters elements from Fort Bliss and Fort Cavazos, Texas.”

Ryder added that the deploying units would not be going to Israel and are “intended to support regional deterrence efforts and further bolster US force protection capabilities.”  The Pentagon previously announced the deployment of the THAAD and Patriot batteries.

CNN has reported that a total of 21 U.S. soldiers have received minor injuries as a result of attacks between October 17 and 18.  Of those, 19 – 15 at al-Asad Air Base in Iraq and four at al-Tanf Garrison in Syria – have been diagnosed with traumatic brain injury (TBI), Ryder said.

The announcement of more troop deployment comes after the Pentagon put nearly 2,000 U.S. troops on prepare to deploy orders last week, which Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Sabrina Singh said were focused on providing “air defense, security, logistics, medical, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, and transportation” support for Israel.

That is in addition to U.S. troops already in Iraq and Syria – roughly 2,500 and 900, respectively – and Navy "assets" that were announced to be heading to the region.  The USS Dwight D. Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group has been directed to the Middle East, and the USS Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group is currently in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea.