On Sunday, Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III had a conversation with his Israeli counterpart to reaffirm U.S. backing for Israel amid intensifying conflicts with Iran and its allied groups, which pose the risk of escalating into a larger regional conflict following 10 months of combat against Hamas militants in Gaza.
Austin and Israeli Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant discussed the U.S. military adjustments being made by the Defense Department aimed at enhancing the security of U.S. personnel in the area, supporting Israel’s defense, and discouraging further tensions throughout the region, as outlined in a Pentagon statement.
A map illustrating U.S. Navy assets positioned in the Middle East. (Fox News)
The discussions occurred as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed his Cabinet, stating that Israel is currently engaged in a “multi-front war” involving Iran and its affiliates.
The regional tensions have reached unprecedented levels following the recent assassination of a senior Hezbollah leader in Lebanon and the political chief of Hamas in Iran. Iran and its allies have accused Israel and have threatened retaliation. Hamas announced that it has initiated talks about selecting a new leader.
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Netanyahu asserted that Israel is prepared for any eventuality. Additionally, Jordan’s foreign minister is making an unusual visit to Iran as part of diplomatic efforts; Ayman Safadi expressed, “We want the escalation to cease.”
Simultaneously, Secretary of State Antony Blinken reportedly informed his counterparts on Sunday that Iran and Hezbollah could initiate an attack on Israel as early as Monday, according to Axios.
Smoke billows from a site in Lebanon following an Israeli strike along the Israeli-Lebanese border in the Galilee region, captured from the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights on Sunday, Aug. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)
General Michael Erik Kurilla, head of the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), is expected to arrive in Israel on Monday to assist in coordinating preparations for a predicted attack, as reported by the Times of Israel.
A worker surveys debris as machinery clears rubble from a building damaged by an Israeli airstrike on Tuesday evening in a southern suburb of Beirut, Lebanon. (AP/Hussein Malla)
President Biden is also scheduled to meet with his national security team in the situation room on Monday to discuss the Middle Eastern scenario, according to Reuters.
In Israel, preparations for bomb shelters have increased, recalling Iran’s unprecedented direct military strike in April, which followed an Israeli operation that resulted in the deaths of two Iranian generals. Israel reported that nearly all drones, ballistic, and cruise missiles were successfully intercepted.
“Iran has spent years arming and funding terrorist factions throughout the Middle East, which includes the smuggling of explosives into Israeli territory for attacks against civilians,” stated IDF Spokesperson, Rear Admiral Daniel Hagar. “The IDF and ISA have thwarted numerous operations where Claymore-type explosives were smuggled into the country. We are resolute in our commitment to countering Iranian terrorism wherever it occurs.”
The conflict in Gaza was ignited by Hamas’ assault on Israel on October 7, which resulted in approximately 1,200 casualties, predominantly civilians, and around 250 hostages taken. Israel’s aggressive response has reportedly led to nearly 40,000 Palestinian deaths, as claimed by Gaza’s Hamas-controlled Health Ministry, which does not differentiate between civilians and combatants.
Intensive airstrikes and ground assaults have caused widespread devastation, displacing a substantial majority of Gaza’s 2.3 million population.
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The militant group Hezbollah and Israel have continued to exchange fire along the Lebanese border since the outbreak of war, with hostilities escalating in recent months. Hezbollah claims these actions aim to alleviate pressure on their fellow Iran-backed ally, Hamas.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
