WASHINGTON: The US army is “surging” recent provides of air defences, munitions and different safety help to Israel to assist it reply to an unprecedented weekend attack by Hamas, a senior US defence official mentioned on Monday (Oct 9).
“Planes have already taken off,” the US official mentioned, talking on situation of anonymity to Pentagon reporters.
“We’re surging assist to Israel … We stay in fixed ongoing contact with our counterparts in Israel to find out after which assist their most pressing necessities.”
The US has not but detailed the extent of Israel’s requests for safety help. However the US defence official mentioned Washington was contacting the defence business to expedite pending Israeli orders, and looking out on the US army’s personal stockpiles to assist fill Israeli gaps.
The official additionally appeared to dismiss considerations that the USA would possibly battle to provide Israel on the identical time that it funnels weaponry to Ukraine. “We’re in a position to proceed our assist each to Ukraine, to Israel, and preserve our personal world readiness,” the official mentioned.
Palestinian militant group Hamas launched a shock assault on Israel on Saturday, killing lots of of Israelis and seizing dozens of hostages. The assault led Israel to declare struggle, and the spiralling violence threatens to start a major new war in the Middle East.