Two U.S. amphibious assault ships head to Med via Suez, Posted by Meosha Eaton

ISMAILIA, Egypt, March 1 (Reuters) - Two U.S. amphibious assault ships, the USS Kearsarge, which can carry 2,000 Marines, and the USS Ponce, will pass through Egypt's Suez Canal on Wednesday morning, an Egyptian official said on Tuesday.

The United States said on Monday it was moving ships and planes closer to Libya, where a rebellion against Muammar Gaddafi's rule is underway. The Egyptian official said the ships would enter the Canal at 0330 GMT. (Cairo Newsroom +20 2 2578 3290)