They are already there. No one knows the number for sure, but I’ve heard speculation from 100-200 Special OPs involved. Aircraft carrier has been in place for several days and they began flying missions early this week.
SDF forces are poised very close to ISIS. (If they are not already engaged) They have taken several towns on the way there but are at Raqqa now.
Our military doesn’t fly bombing missions without guys on the ground putting laser dots on targets. The special ops find targets. They find a vantage point and put a laser dot on the door or window that the bomb to go through. The guy flying the aircraft locks on to that laser dot and uses it to launch the rocket or guided bomb on the target chosen. It is very accurate and precise as long as a cloud doesn’t obscure the laser. There simply must be troops on the ground moving around in the night.