US Marines from 2nd Battalion, 8 Marine Regiment of 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade wait to board helicopters as they leave to take part in Operation Khanjar - Strike of the Sword - at Camp Dwyer in Helmand Province on July 2, 2009. US Marines launched a major offensive into the Taliban heartlands of southern Afghanistan early on July 2 as President Barack Obama's new war plan swung into action. Operation Khanjar involved nearly 4,000 US forces as well as 650 Afghan police and soldiers, the Marine Expeditionary Brigade said, announcing the pre-dawn launch of the drive in southern Helmand province.