U.S. Aids Israel in Planning Response to Iran’s Recent Aggressions; Biden Concerned Over Leaked Plans, Candidates Back Israeli Measures.
A Glimpse into Israel-Related Developments in Washington, D.C., as We Monitor Key Events in the Middle East:
ENHANCED U.S. MILITARY AND STRATEGIC SUPPORT: The Pentagon has been involved in discussions regarding Israel’s potential retaliation against Iran. American and Israeli officials have been continuously reviewing contingency plans for possible Israeli strikes, and the U.S. has deployed military assets to the region to deter further escalation. In a call between U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on Wednesday, Austin expressed condolences for the loss of an IDF commander and reaffirmed U.S. support for Israel. He highlighted the recent deployment of a THAAD missile defense battery as evidence of America’s commitment. Austin urged Israel to address the humanitarian situation in Gaza and consider opportunities for hostage releases and a ceasefire after Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar’s death. He also expressed concerns about strikes on the Lebanese Armed Forces and UNIFIL. This comes as the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu signaled “the beginning of the end” of the war in Gaza after the elimination of Hamas terror chief [More details in the Department of Defense release]
President Biden’s Concern Over Pentagon Leak. President Joe Biden expressed deep concern about the leak of classified documents detailing Israel’s plans for a potential strike on Iran. The leak first appeared online on Friday in Telegram app groups popular with Iranian citizens. White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said the President was “deeply concerned”about the leak. The top-secret Israeli documents were shareable within the ‘Five Eyes,’ an intelligence alliance comprising the US, Great Britain, Canada, New Zealand and Australia. The FBI has said it is working with the Department of Defense and the Intelligence Community to determine if this was a hack or a leak. [see report]
Vice President Kamala Harris On Israel’s 7-Front Self-Defense War: Vice President and Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris has continued to advocate for a comprehensive approach, strongly backing Israel’s right to defend itself and urging the need to protect civilians in Gaza. She expressed support for a two-state solution. On the campaign train, VP Harris disagreed with a protested who accused Israel of genocide, and recently spoke about ending the Gaza war and moving toward consolidating Israeli victories.
Donald Trump’s Support For Israel’s Actions: Former President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump reaffirmed his strong backing for Israel, stating that Israel must pursue complete victory over Hamas and Hezbollah. He also called for stronger actions against Iran, aligning with his past administration’s hardline stance on the Middle East. [See here and here]
Secretary Of State Antony Blinken’s Meetings In Israel: During his visit to Israel, Secretary of State Blinken met with hostage families and Israeli leaders, emphasizing U.S. support for Israel while reviewing plans to counter Iranian proxies in Lebanon and the region. See Secretary Blinken’s Travel to Israel, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Kingdom, October 21-25, 2024.
