Michelle Martin

peacekeeper.

But additional U.S.

troops have reached the Middle East, and more are on the way.

The U.S.

military has not said what the mission will be, but the focus is on the critical waterway that remains closed to almost all oil tankers.

Hi, Leila.

Congress has not reached a deal to pay them due to a disagreement over immigration enforcement tactics.

President Trump says he's ordering the Department of Homeland Security to find money in its budget, although it's unclear exactly how that will work.

I'm Laila Faldin.

And I'm Michelle Martin.

Today's episode of Up First was edited by Jerry Holmes, Andrew Sussman, Alfredo Carvajal, Mohamed El-Bardisi, and Adriana Gallardo.

It was produced by Ziad Butch and Eva Pukach.

Our director is Christopher Thomas.

We get engineering support from Stacey Abbott and our technical director is Carly Strange.

We hope you'll join us again tomorrow.

At least 2,000 paratroopers from the 82nd Airborne Division are being sent to the Middle East.

I'm Michelle Martin, that's A. Martinez, and this is Up First from NPR News.

Lebanon expels Iran's ambassador blaming Tehran for dragging the country into another war.

Israel is threatening to use what it calls the Gaza model in Lebanon's south.

The orders come as Trump's public comments this week have focused on diplomacy with Iran.