"Operation Azada Wosa — "Stay Free" in the local Pashto language — kicked off Monday and represents a new push by the U.S. military to retake territory that NATO troops have so far been unable to conquer and hold. The 2,400-strong 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit is on its first mission since it started arriving here more than a month ago."
If you read between the lines you see that this is something of a rather large push, using a MEU which consists of something like this (as described here):
"A typical MEU (SOC) structure has 2,100 Marines and sailors. It is equipped with:
- 7 to 16 light armored vehicles
- eight 81 mm mortars
- eight TOW missile systems
- eight Javelin missile launchers
- 15 amphibious assault vehicles
- six 155 mm howitzers
- four M1A1 main battle tanks
- 12 CH-46E medium lift assault helicopters
- six CH-53E heavy lift assault helicopters
- three UH-1N utility helicopters
- four AH-1W Cobra attack helicopters
- six AV-8B Harrier Jets
- two KC-130 re-fueler/transport aircraft (on call in the continental United States)
- two reverse osmosis water purification units
- one LMT 3000 water purification unit
- one sea tractor
- four TRAMs (10,000-pound capacity forklifts)
- two 4,000 pound capacity forklifts
- three D-7 bulldozers
- 30 5-ton or 7-ton/12-ton trucks
- one dump truck
- four Mk48 logistical vehicle systems
- seven 500 gallon water containers
- 63 HMMWVs."