The Israeli military has conducted missile strikes against Iran, a snr #UnitedStates#military ofcl told NPR Thurs. There are also reports of explosions in #Iraq & #Syria.
Iran's Fars News Agency says explosions were heard in the central city of #Isfahan, according to the Reuters News Agency.
The extent of Israel's strikes & the weapons used weren't clear.
They also spoke about the importance of increasing & sustaining the flow of #humanitarian#aid to #civilians in #Gaza, including via the new route from Ashdod Port in #Israel.
A snr US ofcl on Thurs night declined to say whether #Gallant gave #Austin any advance warning of an impending strike.
During #Biden’s speech on #healthcare yesterday he was interrupted by protesters advocating for #Palestinians in #Gaza. Instead of ignoring them & moving on, #POTUS responded, “They have a point; we need to get more care into Gaza.” He added, “Everybody deserves healthcare.”
The meeting came amid growing friction between the 2 #MNNA after the passage of a #UN resolution calling for an immediate #CeaseFire & Israel’s PM, #Netanyahu, cancelled a separate delegation to DC.
An unclassified summary of the review did not identify any failures by of #DefSec#LloydAustin or his aides as they oversaw the transfer of top-level authority from Austin to his deputy several times while he was undergoing medical treatment in Dec & Jan. But the probe, which was conducted by a snr #Pentagon ofcl, said that Austin’s staff was constrained by #medical#privacy#laws & their own concern about their boss’s privacy.
“Although, as hindsight has shown, the process for making decisions to transfer the Secretary’s authority could & should be improved … nothing examined during this review demonstrated any indication of ill #intent or an attempt to obfuscate,” the report added. #NationalSecurity#UnitedStates#military#Pentagon#DefSec#LloydAustin
"Today our adversaries are busily rebuilding their barriers, old enemies are reanimated, battle lines are being drawn, the tanks are literally on #Ukraine's lawn and the foundations of the world order are being shaken to their core. We stand at a crossroads", said Mr #Shapps
#US#DefSec#LloydAustin was hospitalized on Jan. 1 w/a UTI following a Dec surgical procedure to treat prostate cancer, Walter Reed Ntl Military Medical Ctr said on Tues.
"His infection has cleared. He continues to make progress & we anticipate a full recovery although this can be a slow process," Pentagon released Walter Read stmnt said.
"During this stay, Secy Austin never lost consciousness & never underwent general anesthesia."
“Our congressional members have valid questions & we will answer, but I would point out that #Ukraine matters, what happens here matters, not just to Ukraine but to the entire world,” #DefSec#LloydAustin told reporters after meeting Ukrainian ofcls.
The visit by Austin & Gen Christopher Cavoli, (commander of US #EUCOM & #NATO#SACEUR) was also intended to signal that American support will not be undermined by #Israel’s war w/ #Hamas….
#DefSec#LlyodAustin announced that the US military would send ~$100M in additional donations of US equipment to Kyiv, including Stinger antiaircraft missiles, artillery shells & cold-weather gear. The size of that package, smaller than most previous announcements, appeared to reflect the new reality of tighter constraints in US support to #Ukraine.
He also said Ukrainian forces had what they needed to fight #Russia over the winter — despite the setbacks during summer & fall.
“Without US assistance we can’t simply not stop the Russian invasion, we can’t survive,” said Dmytro Lubinets, the Ukrainian parliament’s commissioner for #HumanRights. “We paid for the will to be independent every day with our health and lives, but we don’t want to simply die w/o military [&] financial assistance. It’s not only my position — I can confirm that this is the position of 99% of our population.”
Neither #Biden, nor SoS Antony #Blinken, #DefSec#LloydAustin or others in dir contact w/their Israeli counterparts, told them what to do or what not to do, acc/to public stmnts & interviews w/a range of snr admin & foreign ofcls who discussed the tumultuous & sensitive days of the past 2 wks anonymously.
But worry was growing in #Washington, & it… culminated w/ Biden’s 7½ hrs on the ground in #Israel. In meetings w/ #Netanyahu & his #cabinet, #POTUS expressed his concerns & posed questions.
#DefSec’s Oct 13 arrival in #TelAviv coincided w/rising WH anxiety that events could spin out of control. When #Austin made his low key entry to #Israel#Defense Ministry via underground parking, he embraced his counterpart, Def Min #YoavGallant.
Austin, who knew well the challenges of #UrbanWarfare from his 4★Gen days overseeing the campaign to root out #ISIS in #Iraq & #Syria, had knowledge to share. In private, he urged #Gallant to “think thru what they are trying to achieve” & how to do it.
“These steps will bolster regional #deterrence efforts, increase force protection for US forces in the region, & assist in the defense of #Israel,” Austin said in a stmnt, adding that they were taken after “detailed discussions w/Pres #Biden on recent #escalations by #Iran & its proxy forces” in the region.
#Israel on Sunday issued a formal #DeclarationOfWar against #Hamas & pounded #Gaza w/ strikes, promising retaliation for an unprecedented attack by the #militant group that surprised Israeli #security forces. The #DeathToll has risen to 600 in Israel, & thousands have been injured…, while Palestinian authorities said ≥370 were killed & 2,200 injured in Gaza.
#DefSec Lloyd Austin said Sunday he has ordered the Ford carrier strike group to sail to the Eastern Mediterranean to be ready to assist Israel after the surprise attack by #Hamas that has left >1k dead & thousands wounded on both sides.