Israel postpones start of ground operation in Gaza due to agreements with U.S. military - WSJ
Illustrative photo (photo: Getty Images)
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have postponed their ground operation in the Gaza Strip for approximately a week, awaiting the strengthening of U.S. missile defense systems in the Middle East, according to The Wall Street Journal.
According to sources cited by the publication, the United States plans to deploy approximately a dozen missile defense systems to protect their troops serving in the Middle East. The Pentagon is concerned that these forces could become targets for militants during a ground operation, necessitating their protection. The deployment of missile defense systems is planned to be completed by the end of this week.
As reported, Israel has agreed to accommodate the U.S. request. Additionally, they are considering issues related to the supply of humanitarian aid to Gaza.
Strengthening the U.S. position in the Middle East
Following the outbreak of the conflict between Israel and Hamas, the United States deployed two aircraft carriers to the eastern Mediterranean. In addition, an additional four thousand American servicemembers will be stationed on these ships.
Furthermore, the U.S. is deploying additional missile defense systems throughout the Middle East in response to the escalation in the region.
The ground operation by Israel
On October 7, HAMAS militants initiated an invasion into Israel, where they engaged in kidnappings and killings of civilians, sharing videos of their atrocities on social media.
In response, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) declared the start of an operation against HAMAS, with the goal of eliminating the terrorists. The IDF has already conducted airstrikes on locations where the militants are situated in the Gaza Strip.
A ground operation in the Gaza Strip is also planned. Currently, hundreds of units of military equipment have been concentrated on the Israeli border.
However, on October 25, reports in the media indicated that Netanyahu was prepared to postpone the deployment of troops into the Gaza Strip to allow more time for negotiations regarding hostages.
According to the media, the U.S. President sought to delay Israel's ground operation to ensure that humanitarian aid reaches as many Palestinians as possible and to facilitate the evacuation of over 500 American citizens currently stranded in the Gaza Strip.
