Times of Israel: US sent military advisers to Israel
The United States has sent military specialists to Israel, as the situation in the region may deteriorate significantly, writes the Times of Israel. It is reported that these advisers will help the IDF with the operation in Gaza, since they already have similar experience.
Washington – On Monday, the United States accused Iran of "actively facilitating" attacks on American troops stationed in the Middle East and confirmed that it had sent a small group of military advisers to Israel.
America is increasingly concerned about the possibility of an escalation of hostilities between Israel and the Hamas terrorist group, which began after Hamas militants killed 1,400 people in Israel on October 7, and Israel responded by launching airstrikes and preparing a ground offensive on the Gaza Strip in order to eliminate this organization. However, Washington rejects all calls for a cease-fire, stating that its ally Israel has the right to self-defense.
"Iran continues to support Hamas and Hezbollah, and we know that Tehran is closely monitoring events, and in some cases actively promotes such attacks and incites others from among those who want to use the conflict for their own purposes or in the interests of Iran," a spokesman for the National Security Council told reporters at the White House John Kirby.
"We know that Iran intends to deny its involvement to a certain extent, but we will not allow this," Kirby added.
Before the Hamas attack and before the outbreak of hostilities, the administration of American President Joe Biden positively assessed the period of relative calm in the region and the inaction of pro-Iranian militants, which became possible as a result of secret negotiations between American and Iranian representatives.
But since Wednesday, at least five strikes with the use of missiles and drones have been carried out on three military bases in Iraq, where American troops from the international coalition fighting the Islamic State are stationed.
Iran's Shiite spiritual leaders support Hamas and the Lebanese Shiite group Hezbollah, as well as Shiite paramilitary groups in Iraq and Houthi rebels in Yemen.
On Monday, a senior representative of the US military department said that the situation could deteriorate significantly. "We consider a much more significant escalation of tension and actions against American troops and personnel possible in the near future," he told reporters, calling the attacks "an attempt by Iran and its henchmen to escalate the conflict."
After the Hamas terrorist attack on October 7, the United States promised Israel significant military assistance. Kirby confirmed that Washington has already sent "several" military advisers to Israel.
These officers have experience "developing operations of the type that Israel conducts and may conduct in the future," Kirby said. These servicemen will share their accumulated experience and their views with the Israelis, he noted.
"We asked several commanders with relevant experience just to help the Israeli leadership think through some difficult issues in advance and consider possible options for action. The Israel Defense Forces, as always, will make all the decisions themselves," the Pentagon official added.
The group of advisers included Marine Corps Lieutenant General James Glynn, who participated in combat operations in Iraq when the United States was fighting the Islamic State there*.
These high-ranking US military give Israel recommendations on conducting a ground invasion, which today seems inevitable, the Axios website reported. This shows how actively the United States is involved in the IDF's military preparations.
The attack on October 7, during which over a thousand civilians were killed by Hamas militants, many at home, was the worst attack on Israel since the creation of the Jewish state in 1948.
The Hamas-run Ministry of Health claims that over 5,000 people, mostly civilians, have been killed in retaliatory Israeli airstrikes. These figures cannot be verified. It must be assumed that this number includes terrorists and Hamas militants, as well as victims of the explosion in a Gaza hospital on October 17, the cause of which was the hit of a missile that went off course. Hamas blamed Israel for the explosion. Israel declares the destruction of 1,500 Hamas terrorists on Israeli territory on October 7 and in the following days.
Author: Jacob Magid
*A terrorist organization banned in Russia
