Head of Pentagon urged Israel to draw lessons from U.S. operation against ISIS
The Head of the Pentagon Lloyd Austin (photo: Getty Images)
Israel should draw lessons from the United States' military operation against ISIS militants and strive to maximize the preservation of civilian lives in the Gaza Strip, according to the Head of the Pentagon Lloyd Austin.
"Like Hamas, ISIS was deeply embedded in urban areas. And the international coalition against ISIS worked hard to protect civilians and create humanitarian corridors, even during the toughest battles," stated the head of the Pentagon.
According to him, the main lesson is not just about winning in urban warfare, but rather that winning in urban warfare is possible only by protecting the civilian population.
Austin also urged Congress to swiftly pass new aid packages for Ukraine and Israel.
"The world will only become more dangerous if tyrants and terrorists believe that they can get away with wholesale aggression and mass slaughter," he noted.
War in Israel
On October 7, Hamas militants launched an attack on Israel, during which they killed and kidnapped civilians. In response, Tel Aviv initiated a ground operation against the militants.
A temporary ceasefire between Israel and Hamas began on November 24. The parties initially agreed to a four-day cessation of hostilities but decided to extend it for an additional two days on the condition that the militants would release more hostages.
However, a few days later, on December 1, Israel resumed military operations in the Gaza Strip, claiming that Hamas had violated the terms of the ceasefire. According to The Times of Israel, Jerusalem plans to pursue leaders of Hamas worldwide in the future.
