Does the US Fear Being Caught in a Lengthy War in Gaza?
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Alaina
- . October 23, 2023
- . Update: October 23, 2023 5:23 pm
It seems the US is having second thoughts in backing friends forever – Israel in its war against Hamas which means turning Gaza into a graveyard. But Washington is more worried about Iran stepping up its game in the name of Palestine and throwing all its support to Hezbollah to have Hamas back.
The US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said they are working to avoid a second or third front, but is preparing for the likelihood of escalation. “We don’t want escalation. If we don’t want to see a second or third front develop. We don’t want to see our forces or our personnel come under fire, but if that happens, we’re ready for it.”
Blinken told NBC’s Meet the Press that Hamas is preventing Americans in Gaza from leaving the Rafah border crossing into Egypt. He said the Palestine-militant group blocked them from leaving, showing total disgrace for civilians of any kind who are stuck in Gaza.
Gaza War Evolving into Broader Conflict
US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin says the Israel-Hamas war could spill over into a broader conflict throughout the Middle East that would imperil American military forces. The United States is very much worried about potential escalation.
“In fact, what we’re seeing is the prospect of a significant escalation of attacks on our troops and our people throughout the region. And because of that, we’re going to do what’s necessary to make sure that our troops are in the right position, they’re protected and that we have the ability to respond.”
Austin’s statements follow Iranian proxies attacks on US military bases in Iraq and Syria. Moreover, the US Navy reportedly intercepted missiles fired from Yemen. The world is also witnessing increased fighting along the Israel-Lebanon border
The Defense Secretary said America’s deployment of additional assets is a message to those who seek to widen this conflict. “If any group or any country is looking to widen this conflict and take advantage of this very unfortunate situation that we see, our advice is don’t – we maintain the right to defend ourselves, and we won’t hesitate to take the appropriate action.”
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Humanitarian Catastrophe in Gaza
Israel argues that the escalating civilian deaths in Gaza is due to Hamas embedding its militant operations in civilian life, like firing rockets from civilian locations, IDF targets those places too. Austin said the US is repeatedly reminding Israel of its obligations under international law and for Israel to take necessary precautions.
He added that any military operation to remove Hamas from Gaza would be difficult for Israel because the territory is densely populated and urban. Austin believes combat would be extremely difficult and at a slow pace.
