On Monday, President Biden is scheduled to meet with his national security team in the situation room before an expected Iranian strike against Israel.
The White House confirmed Vice President Kamala Harris, who is the presumptive Democratic nominee for president, would also attend.
Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III also spoke to his Israeli counterpart on Sunday, and they agreed for Mr. Gantz to visit Washington this week in return for a rapid resupply of the ammunition that has been depleted from Israel’s stockpiles more quickly than it expected.
Austin and Israeli Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant studied some American moves on U.S. force posture designed to “improve the security arrangements for our forces in the region” and aid Israel’s defense as well as help prevent general regional tensions, per a Pentagon readout.
In a meeting of his Cabinet on Sunday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel is already waging a “multi-front war” with Iran and its agents.
The region has been on edge since the killing of a senior Hezbollah commander in Lebanon last week and Hamas’ top political leader in Iran. Iran and its allies have blamed Israel for the attack, promising to take revenge – Hamas is set to begin talks on choosing a new leader.
Jordan’s foreign minister said, “We want the escalation to end,” Ayman Safadi said.
Meanwhile, Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned his counterparts on Sunday that Iran and Hezbollah could strike Israel as soon as Monday Axios reported.
The Times of Israel said the head of US Central Command (CENTCOM) General Michael Erik Kurilla is due to visit Monday to coordinate preparations for the expected strike.
In Israel, preparations entail putting bomb shelters on alert and remembering Iran’s first-ever direct military attack after an Israeli strike targeted two Iranian generals in Syria-all this within just the last month. Israel said that nearly all the drones and four out of five ballistic or cruise missiles had been intercepted.
“For years, Iran has been arming and financing terrorist organizations across the Middle East, including smuggling explosives into Israeli territory for terror attacks against civilians,” IDF Spokesperson, Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said in a statement. “The IDF and ISA have already thwarted numerous attacks in which Claymore type explosives were smuggled into the country’s territory. We are determined to continue acting against Iranian terrorism wherever it may be.”
The Gaza War was the result of a Hamas land seizure that began on 7 October, which saw some 1,200 people killed (most of them civilians) and about to be turned into hostages. Some 40,000 Palestinians have been killed by Israel in reprisal attacks against Gaza, according to the Hamas-run Health Ministry there (which does not distinguish between civilians and fighters).
Thousands of troops and heavy airstrikes have caused much damage in Gaza, where most people were removed from their homes (of 2.3 million residents).
