One of the officials said that the troop movement started days ago and that the U.S. does not know whether a larger incursion into Rafah would be days or weeks away.

The U.S. continues to urge Israel not to go “smashing into” Rafah in a major offensive and to ensure appropriate humanitarian precautions, the second official said.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Sunday on NBC’s “Meet the Press” that a full-scale ground assault on Rafah would not achieve Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin…