WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. military is eager to do more in Syria to help enable local forces combat Islamic State and could expand beyond a previously announced deployment of up to 50 special operations forces, U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter said on Tuesday.

"That's for starters," Carter told a hearing before the House of Representatives Armed Services Committee.

"If we find more forces that we can enable in this way we're prepared to do more ... I have every reason to believe the president will allow us to do more and authorize us to do more when we have more opportunities."

(Reporting by Phil Stewart and Yeganeh Torbati; Editing by Doina Chiacu)